Deflection members for tissue production

ABSTRACT

Improved deflection members are disclosed for imparting texture to a web through the use of pressing, imprinting, or related technologies, In one embodiment, such deflection members include fabrics having raised elements that contact the web and deflection conduits, wherein the deflection member comprises geometries and/or materials capable of creating asymmetrical domes, either through contact in a compression nip or by imprinting the web onto the Yankee dryer. Deflection members of the present invention can include those with elastomeric components in the raised elements, those comprising asymmetrical geometries in the raised elements, those comprising two or more subsets of raised elements having different material properties or geometries, and other fabrics with novel construction and materials.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

In the art of tissue making, a deflection member may be used to imprinta tissue web against a Yankee dryer or other drying surface. Knowndeflection members include macroscopically monoplanar fabrics such as athrough-drying fabric having a woven substrate and UV-cured resinelements above the substrate. The cured resin elements define deflectionconduits into which a moist tissue web can be deflected during a throughdrying operation to create bulky domes offering softness and absorbency,while the portions of the web residing on the surface of the resinelements are pressed against the dryer surface to create a network ofpattern densified areas offering strength.

In the scope of imprinting technology, it is also known to use a pressnip for increased deformation of the web into an imprinting fabric, asdisclosed by Ampulski et al. in U.S. Pat. No. 5,855,739, “Pressed PaperWeb and Method of Making the Same,” issued Jan. 5, 1999, and U.S. Pat.No. 5,897,745, “Method of Wet Pressing Tissue Paper,” issued Apr. 27,1999, both of which are herein incorporated by reference in a mannerconsistent herewith. A related concept is the use of a low permeabilityflexible film or web placed over a paper web as it resides on animprinting or molding fabric, wherein the film helps in molding of thepaper web when differential air pressure is applied, for it reduces airflow through the web and increases the pressure differential experiencedby the web, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,893,965, “Method of MakingPaper Web Using Flexible Sheet of Material,” issued to P. D. Trokhan andV. Vitenberg, Apr. 13, 1999, herein incorporated by reference in amanner consistent herewith. The flexible film or web has the potentialto increase water removal from the web as well as increase the degree ofmolding against a textured fabric. It is likewise said that acompression nip in which moist tissue is pressed between an imprintingfabric and a press felt can cause enhanced deformation and molding of atissue web. This technology is said to allow a tissue web to be createdwith multiple zones having different elevations and thicknesses ordensities. Also related is U.S. Pat. No. 5,972,813 issued to O. Polat etal. issued Oct. 26, 1999, which discloses an impervious texturing web.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The technology for producing textured webs as described in theabove-referenced Ampulski patents and other related references can beimproved through the novel application of deflection members other thanthe traditional fabrics known for imprinting or through dryingtechnology, yielding a variety of benefits such as but not limited toany one of better molding of the web, enhanced mechanical and absorbencyproperties, and textures not easily achieved heretofore. In oneembodiment, such deflection members include fabrics having raisedelements that contact the web and deflection conduits, wherein thedeflection member comprises geometries and/or materials capable ofcreating asymmetrical domes, either through contact in a compression nipor by imprinting the web onto the Yankee dryer. In one embodiment, forexample, raised elements and/or deflection conduits in a deflectionmember, when viewed in cross-sections taken in the machine direction orcross-direction of the fabric, display leading and trailing edges havingdifferent angles relative to the vertical axis and desirably at leastone side that is curved. In a related embodiment, the walls of adeflection conduit viewed in a cross-sectional profile taken in themachine direction or cross-direction are not both parallel and straight,but may be curved or nonlinear or non-parallel.

A particular cross-section that can be sufficient in demonstratingasymmetry of a raised element or deflection conduit is the machinedirection cross-section that passes through the longest span in themachine direction of the structure under scrutiny. For example, withdiamond-shaped deflection conduits aligned with the machine direction,the longest span in the machine direction would be a line from onevertex to the opposing vertex. For cylindrical deflection conduits, thelongest machine direction span would comprise the diameter of thecylinder. For raised elements in a continuous network, the verticalplane aligned in the machine direction should be sought that passesthrough the greatest continuous length of the raised element. If theraised elements are discrete polygons or other discrete shapes, theportion of that shape that gives the longest span in the machinedirection can be used. Of course, it is possible for a deflection memberto be designed to display a symmetrical shape along one particularcross-section while being substantially asymmetrical elsewhere. Thus,while asymmetry along the machine direction cross-section spanning thelongest length of the element under scrutiny can be sufficient toestablish asymmetry, failure to find asymmetry in that particularprofile does not necessarily excise a deflection member from the scopeof the present invention. Profiles along other paths may need to beconsidered as well.

In a related embodiment, isolated structures, which can be eitherdeflection conduits or raised elements, have asymmetrical profiles inthe cross direction, even when the geometry in the plan view appearssymmetrical. In another related embodiment, the raised elementsterminate in top surfaces that are curved, not simply straight and flat.

Deflection members of the present invention can include those withelastomeric components in the raised elements, those comprisingasymmetrical geometries in the raised elements, those comprising two ormore subsets of raised elements having different material properties orgeometries, and other fabrics with novel construction and materials. Theapplication of the deflection members of the present invention can, insome embodiments, further be improved through the addition of shear ontothe paper web for better molding against the fabric, or through use ofan impervious, flexible film on the side of the paper web not in contactwith the deflection member to increase the molding due to air pressuredifferentials applied across the web. In the latter case, the flexiblefilm may be smooth or comprise a texture, and optionally may compriseapertures to decrease the molding in selected regions or to providepinholes for producing a selectively apertured tissue web.

As used herein, the term “deflection member” refers to a textured fabrichaving a web contacting surface comprising raised elements and havingdeflection conduits, such that the fabric is capable of impartingtexture to a web when the web is pressed or urged against the deflectionmember, particularly when the web is moist (e.g., having a moisturecontent of 30% or above, more specifically about 60% or above, morespecifically still about 70% or above, and most specifically from about75% to about 90%, with an exemplary range of from about 30% to about55%). The deflection member can impart texture to a web by serving as:

an imprinting fabric, wherein the fabric presses the web against a solidsurface such as a Yankee dryer, to which the web typically remainsattached until creped off by a doctor blade;

a textured press fabric, wherein the fabric is pressed against the webin a compressive nip, typically with one or more additional fabrics ordeformable belts present in the nip;

a through drying fabric, wherein differential air pressure forces theweb to deform against the texture the of fabric;

a transfer fabric, in which the web is transferred to the fabric over avacuum shoe to cause the web to deform against the fabric, includingconditions of differential velocity transfer in which the web travels tothe fabric at a higher speed than the fabric; or

by serving in any combination of the above roles; or in otherembodiments in which a force urges a fibrous web against the fabricunder conditions capable of imparting texture to the web.

Deflection members can be formed from a variety of techniques known inthe art, including patterned photocuring or radiation curing of polymerresins after application of the resin to a base fabric, laser drillingof a material to form a stand-alone fabric or a layer for a fabrichaving a reinforcing base fabric, rapid prototyping methods (includingselective laser sintering, stereolithography, and room temperaturevulcanization molding) with or without a reinforcing base fabric inplace, molding, and so forth.

The deflection members of the present invention can be used to producepaper webs and other webs having novel geometrical structures or novelphysical properties. For example, webs with asymmetrical domes can offera variety of advantages such as unique tactile properties. In someembodiments, the dome may be more flexible or deformable for a softfeel. In other embodiments, tissue comprising asymmetrical domes canhave bidirectional frictional properties, meaning that the frictionalproperties along a pathway (e.g., the machine direction orcross-direction) depend on the direction of travel (forwards orbackwards along that path). Thus, a tissue may feel smooth when itbrushes against the skin in one direction, but offer higher friction forcleaning when the direction is reversed.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 depicts a papermachine according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 depicts a press nip in which a web of moist tissue is transferredfrom a carrier fabric to a deflection member.

FIGS. 3A and 3B depict profiles of imprinted domes that can be generatedaccording to the present invention.

FIGS. 4A-4C depict embodiments of the deflection member having variablethickness in the raised elements from the base to the top of theelement.

FIGS. 5A-5H depict embodiments of the deflection member having raisedelements comprising two zones of differing materials.

FIGS. 6A-6C show machine-direction cross-sections of deflection memberscomprising raised elements having a plurality of differing subsets.

FIG. 7 depicts a deflection member that is impervious.

FIG. 8 depicts a deflection member having two subsets of raised elementsdiffering in height.

FIGS. 9A and 9B depict a top view and cross-sectional view of adeflection member having a continuous pattern of raised elementsattached to a woven base fabric.

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a portion of a deflection membercomprising raised elements in the form of parallel bars attached to awoven substrate.

FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a portion of a deflection membershowing part of a raised element attached to a woven substrate.

FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional view of a nip in a long shoe press whereina moist paper web is transferred to a deflection member and moldedthereon.

FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional view of a deflection member as it is beingformed by curing of resin on a base fabric.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1 depicts a portion of a paper machine 30 for production of molded,through-dried, and creped tissue 50. A wet paper web 32 produced by agap former (not shown), crescent former, Fourdrinier, or other formationmethod known in the art is provided on a deformable carrier fabric 34,which, by way of example, may be a conventional papermaking felt capableof dewatering a moist web in a press nip 35; or may be a felt having athree-dimensional structure for water removal and application oftexture, such as the Spectra™ fabrics of Voith Fabrics (Raleigh, N.C.,formerly produced by the Scapa Group North America, Shreveport, La),which employ rubbery polyurethane components or other polymer networksin the felt in the form of a porous membrane (see G. Rodden, “Nonwovensand Laminates Make their Way into Press Felts,” Pulp and Paper Canada,vol. 101, no. 3, pp. 19-23, March 2000); or may be the nonwoven moldingsubstrates of Lindsay and Burazin in U.S. Pat. No. 6,080,691, “Processfor Producing High-Bulk Tissue Webs Using Nonwoven Substrates,” issuedJun. 27, 2000, herein incorporated by reference; or may be the markingfelts of Voith Fabrics (Raleigh, N.C., formerly of Scapa Group Ltd. ofEngland) disclosed by P. Sudre, “Papermakers Marking Felt,” EuropeanPatent Application 0 672 784-A1, published Sep. 20, 1995; or can be thedrilled nonwoven webs of Hans Albert disclosed in U.S. Pat. No.4,541,895, issued Sep. 17, 1985, herein incorporated by reference, andthe like. In one embodiment, the deformable carrier fabric 34 is anapertured polymeric press fabric comprising a woven textile base, anapertured polymeric layer, and batt fibers, such as the fabricsdescribed by J. Hawes, “Apertured Structures: A New Class of PorousPolymeric Press Fabrics,” Pulp and Paper Canada, Vol. 100, No. 2,December 1999, pp. T375-377, with specific examples manufactured byAlbany International Corp., Albany, N.Y. In related embodiments, thewoven textile base in the deformable carrier fabric 34 can be replacedwith a nonwoven spiral fabric, which is formed by assembly ofmonofilament helical coils joined by pintles. Spiral fabrics aredescribed by M. Di Ruscio in “Spiral Fabrics as Dryer Fabrics,”PaperAge, January. 2000, pp. 20-23, and are available from Albany Corp.(Albany, N.Y.).

Prior to being disposed on the deformable carrier fabric 34 or whilethereon, the web 32 may be dewatered by any means known in the art,including foils, vacuum boxes, capillary dewatering devices, infrared ormicrowave drying, pneumatic dewatering, including displacementdewatering devices as described by J.D. Lindsay, “DisplacementDewatering To Maintain Bulk,” Paperi Ja Puu, vol. 74, No. 3, 1992, pp.232-242, and the air press disclosed in WO 99/23296 by D. V. Lange,published May 14, 1999, or in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,080,279, issued Jun. 27,2000 to Hada et al.; 6,083,346, issued Jul. 4, 2000 to Hermans et al.;U.S. Pat. No. 6,096,169, issued Aug. 1, 2000 to Hermans et al.; and U.S.Pat. No. 6,093,284, issued Jul. 25, 2000 to Hada et al., all of whichare herein incorporated by reference; and the like.

As the web 32 is carried by the underlying deformable carrier fabric 34,it passes though the press nip 35 between two opposing press surfaces37, 38 capable of applying suitable pressure to partially dewater themoist web 32. The web 32 contacts a deflection member 36 in the nip 35.The deflection member 36 can be a substantially macroplanar fabrichaving deflection conduits and elevated regions, and can be correspondto any of the fabrics disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,679,222, issued Oct.21, 1997 to Rasch et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 4,514,345, issued Apr. 30,1985to Johnson et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,334,289, issued Aug. 2, 1994 toTrokhan et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 4,528,239, issued Jul. 9,1985 to Trokhan;and U.S. Pat. No. 4,637,859, issued Jan. 20, 1987 to Trokhan, all ofwhich are herein incorporated by reference.

The nip 35 can have a machine direction length of at least about 2inches, more specifically 3 inches, and most specifically from about 4inches to about 15 inches, and can comprise opposed convex and concavecompression surfaces. Here the opposing press surfaces 37, 38 aredepicted as simple press rolls 52, 54, though press surfaces 37, 38could be provided by a variety of devices known in the art, includinglong nip presses with hydraulic shoes, such as the high intensity nipsdisclosed by M.A. Hermans et al. in WO 97/43483, published Nov. 20,1997, the shoe nips disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,897,745, issued Apr.27, 1999 to Ampulski et al., herein incorporated by reference, or thenips disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,650,049, issued Jul. 22, 1997 toKivimaa et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,662,777, issued Sep. 2, 1997 to Schielet al., or Patent Application WO 95/16821, published Jun. 21, 1995 inthe name of C. J. Mentele; crown compensated rolls with internalhydraulics for controlling applied pressure; one or more soft rolls withdeformable covers; a hard roll in opposition to a suction roll in whichvacuum dewatering occurs through drilled holes in the suction roll'ssurface; and opposing steel bands urged together by applied pressurebehind at least one band, such as the CONDEBELT™ drying system of ValmetCorp. (Finland). Condebelt™ technology is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No.4,112,586 issued Sep. 12,1978; U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,506,456 and 4,506,457both issued Mar. 26, 1985; U.S. Pat. No. 4,899,461 issued Feb. 13,1990;U.S. Pat. No. 4,932,139 issued Jun. 12, 1990; and U.S. Pat. No.5,594,997 issued Jan. 21, 1997, all foregoing patents issued toLehtinen; U.S. Pat. No. 4,622,758 issued Nov. 18, 1986 to Lehtinen etal.; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,958,444 issued Sep. 25, 1990 to Rautakorpi etal., all of which are herein incorporated by reference.

Shoe presses or long nip presses can modify the performance of pressingsystems by providing prolonged, controlled pressure pulses for goodsheet molding at lower peak pressures. Commercially available examplesof such presses include the ENP (Extended Nip Press) of Beloit Corp.(Beloit, Wis.), such as the ENP-C which can operate as a single-feltedor double-felted press, or the Tandem NipcoFlex press of Voith(Appleton, Wis.), and the OptiPress of Valmet Corp. (Helsinki, Finland).Deformable felts and belts are also helpful in molding a web 32 anddewatering the web 32 against the deflection member 36 in an extendednip press, such as a press having a shoe that provides compression timesof over 5 ms and more specifically over 15 ms, with peak loads that canbe less than 1500 psi, more specifically less than 800 psi and morespecifically still less than 500 psi.

In the press nip 35, a first surface of the paper web 32 resides on thedeformable carrier fabric 34, and the opposing surface contacts andeflection member 36 which can be further supported by a deformablebacking fabric 56. The deformable backing fabric 56 can be aconventional papermaking felt or any of the other deformable fabricsdisclosed herein suitable for use as the deformable carrier fabric 34.However, in one embodiment, no deformable backing fabric 56 is used, andin a related embodiment, the deflection member 36 has deformableproperties such as sponge-like elements or elastomeric support elementsthat at least partially eliminate the motivation to employ a deformablebacking fabric 56 in order to get good press performance and web moldingin the nip 35.

The deformable carrier fabric 34, the deformable backing fabric 56 andthe deflection member 36 are all guided and controlled in their motionby a series of rolls 40 known in the papermaking arts.

In one embodiment, a degree of shear is imposed on the web 32 as itcontacts and is transferred to the deflection member 36. Shear can beprovided by several means, such as differential velocity between the twodeformable fabrics 34, 56; or by using of a soft, deformable roll coveron one or more rolls 52, 54 in the nip 35 such that deformation of theroll surface(s) 37 and/or 38 causes in-plane (machine direction) shearof the web (e.g., momentary deceleration coming into the nip andmomentary acceleration after the midpoint of the nip); or by in-planeflexure of the deflection member 36 as it is compressed, such that thedistance between any two points in the machine direction of the web isnot rigidly fixed as the deflection member 36 is compressed, but thatthere is a degree of local in-plane deformation in the machine directionin response to z-direction mechanical pressure by the nip 35; or thelike. Alternatively, the shear can be due to nonuniform deformation ofthe deflection member 36 in the nip 35, as described in more detailbelow.

In one embodiment for creating shear, differential velocity exists inthe press nip 35. In this embodiment, the deformable carrier fabric 34and the wet web 32 move at a first velocity, while the deflection member36 and the deformable backing fabric 56 move at a second velocity. Thefirst velocity can be substantially the same as the second velocity, butin one embodiment a difference exists of from about 1% or more, such asfrom about 2% to 40%, or from about 3% to 30%, or about 5% or more. Whenthe second velocity is less than the first velocity, a phenomenon knownas rush transfer occurs, in which the web 32 is foreshortened as thefaster moving deformable carrier fabric 34 rushes the web 32 against theslower moving deflection member 36, which can improved the degree ofmolding provided by the deflection member 36 and can increase themachine direction stretch of the web 32. For rush transfer to beeffective, conditions in the nip 35 must be optimized to cause goodtransfer of the web 32, good foreshortening, and little damage to theweb 32. Pressures in the nip 35 may need to be reduced or optimized toprevent damage to the web 32 and the fabrics 34, 56 or deflection member36. For example, nip pressure may be set to less than 1000 pounds perlinear inch (pli), or less than 600 pli, or from about 50 to 500 pli, orto less than 200 pli. A steam shower (not shown) can also be installedbefore the nip 35 to soften the web and improve both water removal anddeformability for good molding.

A variety of effects can be achieved with differential velocity betweenthe web 32 and a deformable surface contacting the web 32 (or a flexiblebut incompressible material backed with a deformable material,permitting deformation during compression). For example, momentarycontact with a press felt 34, 56 in a nip 35 moving at a differentvelocity than the web 32 itself can cause added deformation of the web32, wherein fibers on the macroplanar surface of the deflection member36 tend to be moved in one direction while the fibers in the deflectionconduits 62 are fixed. The result can be shear thinning of some regionsand shear thickening of others. For example, the region between twonearby deflection conduits 62 spaced apart in the machine direction willbe thickened near one conduit and thinned near the other. Alternatively,some regions on the macroplanar surface will be densified relative toothers due to the shearing effect of differential velocity contact. Theresulting web 32 can have 1) a first relatively high density regionhaving a periodic variation in the machine of thickness and/or densityand having a first range of elevation, 2) a second relatively lowdensity region having a second thickness, which is a local maximumgenerally corresponding to the central regions of domes formed in thedeflection conduits, and 3) a third region extending intermediate thefirst and second regions having a third thickness, which is a localminimum generally corresponding to the sides or bases of the domesformed in the deflection conduits 62.

As the web 32 is pressed against the deflection member 36, water willgenerally be expelled and either pass through the deflection member 36into the deformable backing fabric 56 or pass into the deformablecarrier fabric 34 or both, depending on the permeability of thedeflection member 36 and the permeability and moisture content of thedeformable fabrics 34, 36, and the presence of suction, drilled holes orgrooves in one or more of the opposing press surfaces 37, 38, and otherconditions of the nip 35. In one embodiment, the deflection member 36has deflection conduits in fluid communication with the deformablebacking fabric 56 such that water can pass from the web 32 in the niptoward the deformable backing fabric 56. In another embodiment, thedeflection member 36 is substantially impervious, with water removaldirected primarily toward the deformable carrier fabric 34.

After transfer to the deflection member 36, the web 32 can be furthermolded against the deflection member 36 by one or more of:

through drying with differential air pressure pressing the web 32against the deflection member 36, as in the through dryer 42 shown inFIG. 1;

dewatering and deforming the web with an air press, such as thatdisclosed in WO 99/23296 by D. V. Lange, published May 14, 1999, hereinincorporated by reference;

using the deflection member 36 to press the web 32 against a solidsurface such as a drum dryer or Yankee cylinder 46 also shown in FIG. 1,from which a dried web 50 may then be creped with a crepe blade 48, asshown in FIG. 1, or removed without creping (not shown), with methodssuch as those disclosed in commonly owned U.S. aplication Ser. No.09/961773, “Method of Producing Low Density Resilient Webs,” filed Oct.31, 1997; and the like.

Principles of molding a web 32 on a drum dryer or Yankee dryer 46without creping are disclosed by F. Druecke et al. in commonly ownedU.S. aplication Ser. No. 09/961773, “Method of Producing Low DensityResilient Webs,” filed Oct. 31, 1997, herein incorporated by reference,which discloses combinations of adhesive and release agent which canpermit the web 32 to adhere to the drum dryer or Yankee 46 for effectiveheat transfer but also can permit the dried web 50 to be pulled off thedryer 46 without the need for creping. Other relevant teachings arefound in commonly owned U.S. aplication Ser. No. 09/961913, filed Oct.31, 1997, by S. L. Chen et al. (see also WO 99/23299 and WO 99/23298,both of which were published May 14, 1999); U.S. Pat. No. 6,080,279,issued Jun. 27, 2000 to Hada et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 6,083,346, issuedJul. 4, 2000 to Hermans et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 6,096,169, issued Aug. 1,2000 to Hermans et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 6,093,284, issued Jul. 25, 2000 toHada et al., and in U.S. Pat. No. 5,336,373, issued Aug. 9, 1994 toScattolino et al., all of which are herein incorporated by reference.

The dryer drum 46 need not be a steam-filled roll but may be any heateddrying surface known in the art, such as an internally heated gas-firedroll (ABB Flakt's Gas Heated Paper Dryer), an inductively heated dryingroll, an impulse drying roll such as those disclosed in U.S. Pat. No.5,353,521, issued Oct. 11, 1994 to Orloff; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,598,642,issued Feb. 4, 1997 to Orloff et al., other drying technologiesdescribed by Rhiannon James in “Squeezing More out of Pressing andDrying,” Pulp and Paper Intemational, Vol. 41, No. 12 (December 1999),pp. 13-17, and the like.

Many other embodiments are within the scope of the present invention.For example, an additional foraminous backing member (not shown) can bedisposed between one of the deformable fabrics 34, 56 and the respectivepressing surface 37, 38 to provide additional void volume for receivingwater when one or more of the compressed deformable fabrics 34, 56 inthe nip 35 is near its saturation point. The foraminous backing member(not shown) can be an additional endless web that can have a void volumecapable of receiving about 100 grams or more of water per square meteror about 200 grams per square meter, or between about 300 and about 600grams per square meter. The foraminous backing member can also have acompressibility of less than about 50 percent so that the void volume ofthe foraminous backing member remains open while the foraminous backingmember is passing through the nip. The foraminous backing member can beformed from woven filaments or can be a spiral fabric, and can be in theform a continuous belt. In another embodiment, the foraminous backingmember can comprise a patterned resin layer. In one embodiment, theforaminous backing member comprises a patterned resin layer joined to adewatering felt layer. For instance, the patterned resin layer can bejoined to the deformable carrier fabric 34.

In another embodiment, a plurality of texture-generating surfaces arepresent in the nip 35, such that there is an interaction between thetexture of the deflection member 36 and the texture of other surfaces.For example, the other texture-generating surfaces can be one or more ofthe deformable fabrics 34, 56, and/or one or both of the press surfaces37, 38. Thus, there is an interaction between the plurality oftexture-generating surfaces in the nip 35 which in turn provide atexture to the web 32 that would not be achieved by the use of a singledeflection member 36 as the sole texture-generating surface.

In another embodiment, before, during, or after the pressing invention,the paper web 32 may also be contacted with a flexible web (not shown)having an air permeability less than the air permeability of theunderlying fabric 34 or deflection member 36 on which the paper web isdisposed. The paper web 32 is overlaid with the flexible web and exposedto an air pressure gradient such that the flexible web deflects towardthe underlying fabric 34 or deflection member 36 and further promotes atleast one of water removal from the paper web and molding of the paperweb. The flexible web can have a degree of surface texture which can beimparted to the upper surface of the paper web during pressing orapplication of air pressure differentials. Principles for the use of aflexible sheet against a paper surface on a papermaking belt aredisclosed by P. D. Trokhan and V. Vitenberg, U.S. Pat. No. 5,893,965,issued Apr. 13, 1999, previously incorporated by reference.

In an alternative embodiment (not shown) to that of FIG. 1, the web 32can reside on the deflection member 36 as it approaches the nip 35,rather than residing on the deformable carrier fabric 34. In such analternative embodiment, the web 32 would generally remain on thedeflection member 36 as it passes though the nip 35, rather than beingtransferred from one fabric to another in the proximity of the nip 35,though a transfer could be established, if desired, followed by anothertransfer to the deflection member 36 or to another textured fabric forfurther molding or drying. The embodiment depicted in FIG. 1 permits adifferential velocity transfer to occur from the deformable carrierfabric 34 to the deflection member 36, which would not be possible ifthe web is on the deflection member 36 before the nip 35 and remainsthereon until well after the nip 35.

To assist in removal of the web 32 from the deflection member 36 whenthe web 32 is pressed against the drying drum 46, the deflection member36 can be sprayed or coated with release agents prior to contact withthe web 32. Such release agents can include fluoropolymers, siliconecompounds, or oil-water emulsions, and specifically can include anemulsion comprising about 90 percent by weight water, about 8 percentpetroleum oil, about 1 percent cetyl alcohol, and about 1 percent of asurfactant such as Adogen TA-100.

FIG. 2 is a schematic of a compression nip 35 showing a deflectionmember 36 according to the present invention and further depicting thedeformation in the web 32 and deformable carrier fabric 34 that canoccur in the nip 35 against the deflection member 36. The deflectionmember 36 comprises at least one pattern of raised elements 60 forming aweb densifying surface 61 (in the sense that a web would be selectivelydensified by the web densifying surface 61 if pressed against the raisedelements 60) and defining a pattern of deflection conduits 62therebetween. The web densifying surface 61 occupies a fraction of theentire web contacting surface of the deflection member 36.

The raised elements 60 as depicted have nonlinear, curved sides 71, incontrast to the linear, straight sides typical of prior imprintingfabrics. When viewed in a cross-direction (CD) profile or a machinedirection (MD) profile, one or both sides of the raised elements 60 canbe nonlinear in the deflection members 36 of the present invention.Sides of the raised elements 60 in the present invention can alsocomprise two or more linear segments having different slopes, such thatat least one side of the raised element 60 is not a single straightline.

The web 32 can deform under pressure into the deflection 62 conduits andwater can pass therethrough to the deformable backing fabric 56 if thedeflection member 36 is sufficiently permeable and if the hydraulicdriving force for water transport is sufficient. The raised elements 60have a base 81 which is attached to a base fabric 64 (a foraminouselement), and have an upper portion 83, which is wider than the baseportion 81, depicted as a mushroom shape in the embodiment of FIG. 2.The raised elements 60 are also depicted as being adequately deformableto deform during compression, and to be skewed in the machine directionwhen the deformable carrier fabric 34 is moving faster than thedeflection member 36. The skewing of the resilient raised elements 60 ina nip with rush transfer further contributes to the asymmetry of theprotrusions 68 formed in the paper web 32.

As shown in FIG. 2, the deformable carrier fabric 34 can deflect intothe deflection conduits 62 to form a local mound 66 of the deformablecarrier fabric 34 and also a protrusion 68 in the web 32. The protrusion68 of this embodiment is generally asymmetrical when viewed along amachine-direction cross-section as in FIG. 2. Without wishing to bebound by theory, the asymmetry of the protrusion 68 can be caused orenhanced by differential velocity transfer, in which the higher speed ofthe deformable carrier fabric 34 rushes some of the paper web toward theraised elements 60 of the deflection member 36, causing fibers toaccumulate toward the trailing side of the raised elements 60. The shapeof the raised elements 60 and their deformation in the compression nip35 can also contribute to asymmetry of the protrusions 68 of the web 32,even when no differential velocity is present in the nip, if the elementis asymmetrical and/or if the raised elements 60 become asymmetricalduring compression due to a heterogeneous structure comprising two ormore materials having different physical properties, and/or if theraised elements 60 comprise an elastomeric material permitting temporarydistortion of the raised elements 60 in the direction of shear within inthe compressive nip, which is also depicted in FIG. 2.

The molded web 32 will tend to have a pattern of protrusions 68 having afirst relatively high density region 80 where the web has been pressedwith the raised elements 60, and a relatively low density region 76generally corresponding with the protrusions 68, with an intermediateregion therebetween.

Though the simple base fabric 64 shown in FIG. 2 is relatively flat,three-dimensional base fabrics can be used, including both woven andnonwoven structures, and double layer and triple layer fabrics,including those with ovate or flat yarns, such as the fabrics disclosedin U.S. Pat. No. U.S. Pat. No. 5,379,808, issued Jan. 10, 1995 to Chiu.Examples of three-dimensional woven base fabrics include the sculptedfabrics disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,429,686, issued Jul. 4,1995 to Chiuet al., herein incorporated by reference. The sculpted fabrics disclosedtherein (not shown) have strands that rise above the plane of the fabricto create an enhanced three-dimensional structure. For purposes of thepresent invention, such fabrics could be modified by adding resin toform a deflection member having raised elements formed from the resin ina repeating pattern, superposed on the existing three-dimensional wovenstructure, such that the added raised elements are suitable fordensifying the portions of a paper web in contact with the resin in animprinting operation or a wet pressing event or other operation in whichthe web is pressed against the deflection member. Thus, the web wouldreceive a primary texture due to the presence of raised elements in arepeating pattern and a secondary texture imparted to the web in thedeflection conduits by the three-dimensional woven structure of the basefabric.

In a related embodiment that is not shown, the woven base fabric 64 ofthe deflection member 36 can be replaced with a nonwoven spiral fabricor other suitable nonwoven, foraminous structures, including thenonwoven apertured fabrics of Albert in U.S. Pat. No. 4,541,895, issuedSep. 17, 1985, previously incorporated by reference.

In some cases, there may be some difficulty in removing a molded web 32from the deflection member 36 when the web 32 becomes deeply molded intoa deflection member 36 with mushroom-shaped raised elements 60 or otherraised elements 60 having a cross-sectional shape with a top portion 83wider than the base portion 81. This difficulty can be overcome bybending the deflection member 36 away from the paper contacting sidethereof such that the distance between adjacent raised elements 60widens, and then removing the web 32. Passing the deflection member 32over a narrow turning bar (e.g., diameter less than 12 inches, morespecifically less than about 8 inches) can be a helpful tool.

FIGS. 3A and 3B depict schematic examples of two profiles 70 in the web32 achievable by the present invention. The profile 70 of FIG. 3A isdrawn substantially according to FIG. 8 of Ampulski et al. in U.S. Pat.No. 5,904,811, issued May. 18, 1999, herein incorporated by reference.In FIGS. 3A and 3B, each profile 70 represents a two-dimensional unitcell extending from the midpoints 69 of the web 32 above the center ofthe raised elements 60 of the deflection member 36. Each profile 70 hasa point of maximum height, the local maximum 72 on the dome 74, andgenerally has a local minimum that can correspond with the midpoints 69of the portion of the web 32 above the center of the raised elements 60during pressing. In FIG. 3A, the profile 70 is substantially symmetricalabout the local maximum 72, representing either a textured web 32 madeaccording to U.S. Pat. No. 5,904,811 of Ampulski or according to someembodiments of the present invention with substantially no shear duringpressing against the deflection member 36. The molded web 32 has arelatively low density zone 76 around the local maximum with a localthickness P, a high density zone 80 with a relatively lower localthickness K, and an intermediate zone 78 with an intermediate localthickness T. If substantial shear is applied, say, by differentialvelocity transfer, the relative motion of the deflection member 36versus the web 32 results in a “snowplow” effect in which moist fibersare sheared and piled up toward one side of the profile 70, resulting inan asymmetrical profile 70 such as that shown in FIG. 3B. The profile 70of FIG. 3B has a local maximum 72 with a local thickness P and arelatively low density zone 76, and two transition zones 78′, 78″ at thebase of the dome 74 with local thicknesses T1 and T2, respectively. Theshearing of the fibers may also result in nonuniform thickness in thehigh density zone 80 near the midpoints 69, such that measurement of thethickness halfway from each side of the base of the dome 74 and themidpoints 69 can yield a first local thickness K1 and a second localthickness K2 which need not be the same due to the asymmetry caused byshearing. Further, the local maximum 72 need not be along the midpointline MP (the vertical line which passes through the center of the basebelow the dome 74, being equidistant from the inner surfaces of the dome74 at the base of the dome 74), but may be horizontally displaced fromthe midpoint line MP by a fraction of the width of the dome 74, such asabout 6% or more, or about 10% or more, about 15% or more, or from about10% to about 25% of the width W of the dome 74 measured as the maximumhorizontal distance between the outer surfaces at the base of the dome74. Thus, displacement of the local maximum 72 from the midpoint line MPis evidence of symmetry in the shape of the dome 74 and in the profile70 more generally. The profile 70 can also be taken as asymmetrical whenthe transition ratio, T1:T2 or T2:T1, hichever gives a value of 1 ormore, is about 1.2 or greater, more specifically about 1.3or greater,more specifically still from about 1.3 to about 3.0, most specificallyabout 1.5 or greater, with an exemplary range of from about 1.5 to about3.5. Another measure of asymmetry is the high density ratio, defined asK1:K2 or K2:K1, whichever gives a value of 1 or more, which, forasymmetrical profiles can be 1.1 or greater, more specifically about 1.3or greater, and more specifically about 1.5 or greater, with anexemplary range of from about 1.4 to about 2.0. Alternatively, thecross-sectional profile 70 of a unit cell can be divided by the midpointline MP and the total area of the two sides compared using standardimage analysis methods. When the area ratio, which is the ratio of thefirst area (being greater than that of the second area) to the secondarea, is about 1.2 or greater, such as from about 1.3 to about 2.5, theprofile can be taken as asymmetrical. Of course, an asymmetrical profilecan have two or more of the above measures (displacement of the localmaximum 72 from the midpoint line, the transition ratio, the highdensity ratio, and the area ratio) giving values within the statedranges for asymmetry. It is recognized that any one dome 74 may haveaberrations in shape or size, so tests for symmetry should be based on astatistical average of 100 randomly selected domes, with profiles takenin a consistent direction and passing through the center of the dome 74,when applicable. The webs 32 of the present invention can have about 40%or greater of the domes 74 exhibiting asymmetry in a cross-sectionalprofile such as a machine direction profile or cross-direction profile;more specifically about 50% or greater of the domes 74 exhibitingasymmetry in terms of at least one of the measures discussed above andoptionally in terms of two or more of the measures discussed above; morespecifically still about 60% or greater of the domes 74 exhibitingasymmetry; and most specifically about 80% or greater of the domes 74exhibiting asymmetry. In one embodiment, substantially all of the domeswill have one or more measure of asymmetry indicating an asymmetricalstructure. Asymmetry of the domes 74 for webs 32 of the presentinvention will generally be present prior to creping and will frequentlypersist after creping as well, for webs that are creped.

Even though the profile 70 of FIG. 3B has two local thicknesses K1 andK2 depicted in the high density region, a single local thickness K canbe ascribed to the region which is the average of K1 and K2, which alsocan be used to define an average density there. Likewise, a singletransition local thickness T can be reported as the average of T1 andT2.

The molded web 32 formed by the process shown in FIG. 1 can haverelatively high tensile strength and flexibility for a given level ofweb basis weight and web caliper H (FIGS. 3A and 3B). This relativelyhigh tensile strength and flexibility is believed to be due, at least inpart, to the difference in density between the relatively high densityregion 80 and the relatively low density region 76. Web strength isenhanced by pressing a portion of the intermediate web 36 between thedeformable carrier fabric 34 and the deflection member 36 to form therelatively high density region 80. Simultaneously compacting anddewatering a portion of the web provides fiber to fiber bonds in therelatively high density region 80 for carrying loads. Pressing also canhelp form the transition region 78, which can provide web flexibility.The relatively low density region 76 deflected into the deflectionconduit portions of the deflection member 36 provides bulk for enhancingabsorbency. In addition, pressing the web 36 draws papermaking fibersinto the deflection conduits to form the intermediate density region 78,thereby increasing the web macro-caliper H (FIGS. 3A and 3B). Increasedweb caliper H decreases the web's apparent density (web basis weightdivided by web caliper H). Web flexibility increases as web stiffnessdecreases.

The total tensile strength of the web made according to the presentinvention can be at least about 300 meters. Paper webs made according tothe present invention can have a macro-caliper H of at least about 0.10mm. In one embodiment, paper webs made according to the presentinvention have a macro-caliper of at least about 0.20 mm, and morespecifically at least about 0.30 mm. The procedure for measuring themacro-caliper H are described below.

The paper web made according to the present invention can have densified“knuckles” occupying from about 8% to about 60% of the surface area ofthe web, wherein the densified knuckle regions have a relative densityof at least 125% of the density of the high bulk region of the web.

FIGS. 4A-4C depict additional embodiments of the deflection member 36.FIG. 4A depicts the machine direction cross-section of a deflectionmember 36 wherein the raised elements 60 have a mushroom shape, as inFIG. 2. FIG. 4B depicts elements similar to those of FIG. 4A, except thecentral portion of the raised elements 60 comprises an indentation 92,yielding a raised element 60 with an elevation (relative to the basefabric 64) at the upper periphery 94 being greater than the elevation atthe upper central portion 96 of the raised element 60. FIG. 4C depictsasymmetrical raised elements 60 having a height maximum at or near afirst side 98 of the raised elements 60. The first side 98 correspondingto or closest to the height maximum can be a trailing edge or leadingedge of the raised elements 60. When an indentation 92 is present in theraised elements 60, it can have a depth relative to the thickness of theraised element (from the backside to the top side of the raised element60) of about 40% or less, more specifically about 25% or less, mostspecifically about 15% or less, with exemplary ranges of from 5% toabout 20%, or from about 10% to about 40%.

Numerous other shapes can be depicted having either a top portion widerthan the base portion of the raised elements 60, and being eithersymmetrical or asymmetrical, and having a web densifying surface 61 thatcan be convex (as FIG. 4A), concave, or both convex and concave, such asa saddle-shape profile (as FIG. 4B). The web densifying surface 61 canbe curved or linear, with linear surfaces being either horizontal orpositively or negatively sloped in the machine direction or in thecross-direction.

Asymmetrical raised elements 60 such as those of FIG. 4C can beespecially helpful in creating asymmetrical shaped protrusions in thepaper web, with or without differential velocity transfer of the paperweb to the deflection member 36.

FIGS. 5A-5H depict raised elements 60 comprising two discrete zones ofdifferent materials that differ in mechanical or elastic properties tofurther enhance the asymmetry or other properties of the protrusionscreated by pressing the deflection member 36 against a paper web (notshown). FIG. 5A depicts a simple symmetrical raised element 60 having afirst material 100 and a second material 102 separated by a verticalinterface 104. In one embodiment, the first material 102 differssubstantially from the second material 104 in material properties suchas elastic modulus, Poisson ratio, or storage modulus, such that in apress nip, the raised element 60 will not form a symmetrical structureduring compression but will be asymmetrical, such as a skewed structureor one that bulges more in one direction (e.g., the forward or reversemachine directions). Alternatively or simultaneously, the two materialzones 100, 102 optionally coupled with an asymmetrical shape of theraised elements 60 yield a web that is densified more in the portionscontacting one of the two materials 100, 102 than in the portionscontacting the other of the two materials 100, 102.

FIG. 5B depicts a layered raised element 60 wherein the interface 104dividing the first material 100 from the second material 102 issubstantially horizontal. The interface 104 in FIG. 5C is at an anglerelative to the horizon (for a base fabric 64 lying in the horizontalplane), such as from about 20 to 70 degrees, with about 45 degrees beingdepicted. FIG. 5D shows that the interface 104 can be defined by morethan one line, ere having both horizontal and vertical components. FIGS.5E to 5H show that other shapes can be employed. FIG. 5E depicts amushroom-shaped raised element 60 having an interface 104 with a minimumelevation relative to the base fabric near the center of the raisedelement 60. FIG. 5F depicts another mushroom-shaped raised element 60with a vertical interface 104. FIG. 5G depicts an asymmetrical raisedelement 60 with side having a portion that extends over the base of theraised element 60, wherein the upper portion of the raised element 60comprises a first material 100 and a lower portion comprises a secondmaterial 102. FIG. 5H depicts a vertical interface 104 between twomaterials 100,102 in an asymmetrical raised element 60 wherein one side(e.g., the trailing side) is more elevated and wider than the other side(e.g., the leading side).

FIGS. 5A-5D show raised elements 60 having straight sides ascending fromthe base fabric 64 in a straight line, whereas the sides of the raisedelements 60 in FIGS. 5E-5H include nonlinear (including curved)sections. In general, the sides or walls of raised elements 60 anddeflection conduits 62 of the imprinting fabric 36 can be linear ornonlinear. In nonlinear embodiments, one or both sides of the raisedelement 60 when viewed in a two-dimensional cross-section (e.g., CD orMD cross-section) can exhibit a profile with one or two nonlinear sides.The use of nonlinear sides is expected to provide texture and tactileproperties beyond what can be achieved with linear raised elements. Forexample, domes in the finished paper web 32 may be more rounded orvisually appealing than those produced with typical imprinting fabrics,though tactile results will depend upon a myriad of other factors aswell.

FIGS. 6A-6C show machine-direction cross-sections of deflection members36 comprising raised elements 60 having a plurality of subsets differingin shape, material properties, and/or height. FIG. 6A, for example,depicts a deflection member 36 having a first subset 108 of raisedelements 60 having a saddle shape, and having a second subset 110 ofraised elements 60 having a mushroom shape. Though only two subsets havebeen depicted, any number of subsets could be employed, such as 3, 4, 5,or 6 subsets, with the raised elements 60 of each subset arrayed inrepeating patterns or in non-repeating patterns, including randompatterns or non-repeating tilings such as a Penrose pattern or theamorphous patterns of U.S. Pat. No. 5,965,235, “Three-Dimensional,Amorphous-patterned, Nesting-resistant Sheet Materials and Method andApparatus for Making Same,” issued Oct. 12,1999 to McGuire et al.

The first subset 108 may be continuous, forming, for example, a grid ornetwork such as a rectilinear grid, while the second subset 110 (orother subsets) may comprise discrete islands of raised elements 60surrounded by the network of the first subset 108. Any number of suchpatterns can be contemplated within the scope of the present invention.

FIG. 6B is similar to FIG. 6A except that the second subset 110 has arounded dome shape and has a lower elevation than the first subset 108of raised elements 60. In FIG. 6C, the raised elements 60 of both thefirst subset 108 and the second subset 110 have similar asymmetricalshapes and elevations, but the first subset 108 is reversed relative tothe second subset 110, meaning in this case that the side closest to themaximum in elevation is the trailing edge for one subset and the leadingedge for the other (i.e., the first subset 108 is a mirror image of thesecond subset 110). The raised elements 60 of FIG. 6C have a top portiondominated with a sloped surface having a slope of up to about 45° fromhorizontal. Raised elements 60 in general need not be substantially flatbut can have a dominant sloped portion having a departure from thehorizontal of about 10 degrees or more, more specifically about 20degree or more, and more specifically about 30 degrees or more, such asfrom about 15 degrees to about 50 degrees.

The first and second subsets 108, 100, respectively, may also comprisedifferent materials having different elastic and mechanical propertiessuch that one subset behaves differently in compression than the othersubset. Differences in compression will also arise even with the samematerial being used in both subsets (or in all subsets, when more thantwo subsets of raised elements 60 are used).

When a deflection member 36 having two or more subsets of raisedelements 60 is pressed against a paper web in a compression nip, whereinone subset deforms substantially more than another subset or exhibitsdifferent compressive behavior, the result can be nonuniform deformationof the web 32. Without wishing to be bound by theory, it is believedthat such nonuniform deformation can yield local regions of shear wherethe web 32 is relatively more elongated in the plane of the web 32 thanneighboring portions of the web 32. Such a mechanism can modify the wayin which the web is texturized by the deflection member 36, resulting inproperties and structures not heretofore achievable with conventionalimprinting technology.

FIG. 7 shows another embodiment of the deflection member 36, wherein thedeflection member 36 is substantially impervious, and can be madeaccording to the teachings of U.S. Pat. No. 5,972,813, issued Oct. 26,1999 to Polat et al., herein incorporated by reference. The deflectionmember 36 of FIG. 7 is based on the fabric of Polat et al., andcomprises two primary components: a framework 86 and a reinforcingstructure 84, which, as depicted here, comprises a woven base fabric 64.The framework 86 is disposed on the sheet side of the deflection member36 and defines the texture. The framework 86 comprises two subsets ofraised elements, 60′ and 60″, with the first subset 60′ having a greaterheight than the second subset 60″. Either the first or second subsets,60′ and 60″, may be continuous, thereby surrounding discrete islands ofthe other subset, respectively.

The framework 86 can comprise a cured polymeric photosensitive resin orother curable resins.

The texture of the framework 86 defines a predetermined pattern, whichimparts a like pattern onto the paper web 32 of the present invention.The pattern for the framework 86 can be an essentially continuousnetwork, a semi-continuous network, or can comprise discrete islands ofraised elements 60. By way of example only, continuous patterns areprovided in U.S. Pat. No. 4,528,239, issued Jul. 9,1985 to Trokhan;separate examples of both continuous and discrete patterns forimprinting fabrics (believed to be applicable to deflection members ingeneral) are found in U.S. Pat. No. 4,514,345, issued Apr. 30, 1985 toJohnson et al.; and examples of semi-continuous patterns are provided inU.S. Pat. No. 5,714,041, issued Feb. 3, 1998 to Ayers et al.

If an essentially continuous network pattern is selected for theframework 86, the deflection conduits 62 will be discrete blind holesextending partway between the first surface 130 and the second surface132 of the deflection member 36. The essentially continuous network 86surrounds and defines deflection conduits 62.

The second surface of the deflection member 36 is the machine contactingsurface, which may be made with a backside network having passagewaystherein which are distinct from the deflection conduits 62. Thepassageways provide irregularities in the texture of the backside of thesecond surface of the deflection member 36. The passageways allow forair leakage in the X-Y plane of the deflection member 36, which leakagedoes not necessarily flow in the z-direction through the deflectionconduits 62.

The second primary component of the deflection member 36 according tothe present invention is the reinforcing structure 84. The reinforcingstructure 84, like the framework 86, has a first or paper facing sideand a second or machine facing surface opposite the paper 32 facingsurface. The reinforcing structure 84 is primarily disposed between theopposed surfaces of the deflection member 36 and may have a surfacecoincident the backside of the deflection member 36. The reinforcingstructure 84 provides support for the framework 86. If one does not wishto use a woven fabric 64 for the reinforcing structure 84, a nonwovenelement, screen, net, or a plate having a plurality of holestherethrough may provide adequate strength and support for the framework86.

FIG. 8 depicts a cross-section of a deflection member 36 similar to thatof FIG. 7 but rendered liquid-pervious with openings 96 in the framework86 and particularly in the lower, second subset of raised elements 60″.The shape of the openings 96 may be cylindrical, or may taper to benarrower toward the web contacting side (as shown) or away therefrom.The openings 96 may be uniform throughout the deflection member 36 ormay have a variety of sizes and shapes. The openings may be discrete orcontinuous.

In FIG. 8, the deflection conduit 62 is primarily defined by the sidesof the first subset of raised elements 60′ and the upper surface of thesecond subset of raised elements 60″ (depicted facing toward the bottomof the diagram in FIG. 8), though the aperture 96 is also part of thedeflection conduit 62. Thus, the deflection conduit 62 comprises anupper portion 65 with outwardly slanted walls and a narrower lowerportion 67 with inwardly slanted walls (the nature of the slant isconsidered while traversing from the top, web-contacting side of theraised elements toward the base fabric). The deflection conduit 62 canalso be characterized by having an upper portion 65 with a first width(e.g., a mean width) and a lower portion 67 having a second width, witha step change in width occurring between the two portions 65, 67. Thedeflection conduit 62 can also be characterized by having an upperportion 65 with a first width (e.g., a mean width) and a lower portion67 having a second width, the first width being greater than the secondwidth by about 30% or greater, more specifically about 50% or greater,more specifically still about 100% or greater, and most specificallyabout 200% or greater, with exemplary ranges including from about 80% toabout 200%, or from about 150% to about 300%, or from about 250% toabout 400%.

FIGS. 9A and 9B depict a top view and a cross-sectional view,respectively, of a liquid pervious deflection member 36 substantiallysimilar in geometry to that disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,935,381,“Differential Density Cellulosic Structure and Process for Making Same,”issued Aug. 10, 1999 to Trokhan et al., herein incorporated by reference(see FIG. 2 and FIG. 2A therein). Though similar in geometry to theaforementioned fabric of Trokhan et al., the deflection member 36 of thepresent invention can comprise novel materials and construction methodsas described herein, including elastomeric components, a heterogeneousassembly of two or more materials of differing properties in the raisedelements, and resins cured without actinic radiation.

The deflection member 36 depicted here comprises a continuous network ofraised elements 60 forming a web densifying surface 61, and comprises arepeating pattern of discrete deflection conduits 62. (Alternatively,the raised elements 60 could be discrete elements surrounded by acontinuous grid of deflection conduits 62, or could comprise both acontinuous pattern and discrete elements, such as a first patternresembling an interconnected rectilinear grid and a second pattern ofisolated geometric shapes, such as a flower or star, disposed within theparallelograms formed by the rectilinear grid.) The network of raisedelements 60 comprises a cured resin which is held in place by a wovenreinforcing structure 84 (a base fabric 64).

FIG. 9B depicts a cross-section of the deflection member 36 of FIG. 9Ataken along the line 9B-9B, shown here in association with a paper web32. The web 32 is pressed between opposing press surfaces 37, 38, whichcan be provided by opposing rolls, pressurized metal bands, flat platenswhich compress and retract to process successive segments of the web 36in a batch-like manner, and so forth, with the presence of compressivepressure applied in the z-direction shown by the arrows P. While beingpressed, the web 32 is in contact with a deformable carrier fabric 34and the deflection member 36, which in turn is backed by the deformablebacking fabric 56. The web 32 as it is pressed comprises a relativelyhigh density region 80 associated with the web densifying surface 61 ofthe deflection member 36, and a relatively low density region 76corresponding to the dome-like protrusions 68 formed in the deflectionconduits 62. Depending on whether the raised elements 60 are part of acontinuous grid or are discrete elements, the protrusions 68 can bediscrete domes or an interconnected network of low density regions 76.One skilled in the art will understand that any given fiber may (and inmany cases will) be partly in both the high density region 80 and thelow density region 76. Portions of the deformable carrier fabric 34 areshown in FIG. 9B deforming as local mounds 66 into a portion of thedeflection conduits 62, helping to deform the web 34 to impart a morethree-dimensional topography.

FIG. 10 depicts a perspective view of a portion of a deflection member36 comprising a base fabric 64 joined to raised elements 60 having anasymmetrical shape. Here the raised elements 60 are depicted asrepeating parallel bands or ribs, a semicontinuous embodiment, which maybe oriented in either the machine or cross directions. Deflectionmembers 36 comprising a woven base fabric 64 having raised elements 60in the form of polymeric ribs of one or more heights in a pattern suchas parallel bands or an interconnected grid are within the scope of thepresent invention. The ribs can be asymmetrical and/or composed of oneor more dissimilar materials and/or comprise an elastomer.

FIG. 11 depicts a perspective view of a portion of a deflection member36 in which the raised element 60 as depicted can be a repeating unitcell or a portion of a repeating unit cell, in which the profile viewedin either the machine direction or cross direction will tend to beasymmetrical. The raised element 60 in FIG. 11 could be one half of therepeating unit cell of the deflection member 36 of FIG. 9A, modified tohave crosssectional asymmetry. Such asymmetry can be produced byasymmetrical application of light in a photocuring step, or byasymmetrical application of other means such as mechanical tooling,rapid prototyping, stereolithography and the like.

FIG. 12 depicts an embodiment in which the web 32 traveling in themachine direction 19 is pressed against the deflection member 36 betweena deformable carrier fabric 34 and a deformable backing fabric 56 in acompression nip 35 formed by a shoe press 120 having an upper press roll54 and a shoe 122. A belt 124 rides over the shoe 122 with a layer oflubricant (not shown) at the interface 126 between the belt 124 and theshoe 122 to reduce friction. The belt 124 is guided by rolls 132. Ahydraulic pressure source 136 applied pressure to bias the shoe 122toward the upper press roll 54. The hydraulic pressure source 136 canprovide a varying force in the cross-direction to compensate forvariability in the crown of the upper press roll 54 or in the othercomponents of the nip 35. The web 32 resides on the deformable carrierfabric 34 prior to entering the nip 35, whereafter it resides on thedeflection member 36. The upper press roll 54 may be a suction roll toenhance transfer to the deflection member 36. The belt 124 may betextured and/or deformable to further enhance the texture provided tothe web in the nip 35. Texturing may be provided by laser engraving,ablation, abrasion, stamping, thermal molding, and the like. The belt134 may be provided with blind holes or grooves. It may comprise one ormore layers of elastomeric materials capable of deforming when pressed.It may further comprise reinforcement fabrics, fibers, or wires.

FIG. 13 depicts a cross-section a deflection member 36 as it is beingcured. A base fabric 64 comprising two sets of orthogonal filaments 150,152 woven together has been impregnated with a resin layer 156 ofuniform height. Raised elements 60 for the deflection member 36 havebeen cured in the resin by application of curing radiation through afirst mask (not shown) at a first angle 162 relative to vertical,providing radiation in the direction shown by the first arrow 154,providing a first portion 166 of the raised elements 60. Thereafter,curing radiation through a mask that can be a second mask (not shown) isapplied at a second angle 164 (with the radiation traveling in thedirection shown by the second arrow 170) to cure a second portion 168 ofthe raised elements 60, the second portion 168 being joined to the firstportion 166. The second portion 168 extends the width of the upperportion 83 of the raised elements 60, such that the upper portion 83 iswider than the base portion 81. This effect can be achieved by changingthe angle of a radiation source without moving the mask, or by changingboth the position of the radiation source and the mask.

The uncured portion 160 of the resin layer 156 can be removed aftercuring of the raised elements 60 by washing, solvent extraction,centrifugal force, gravitational flowing at an elevated temperature torender the resin less viscous, and so forth. Removal of the uncuredportion 160 exposes the walls of open deflection conduits 62.

The Base Fabric

The base fabric can take any number of different forms. It can comprisea woven element, a nonwoven element, a screen, a net, a scrim, or a bandor plate having plurality of holes. The base fabric can comprise a wovenelement, and more particularly, a foraminous woven element, such asdisclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,334,289 which patent is incorporated byreference herein. In one embodiment, the base fabric can comprise afirst layer of interwoven yarns and a second layer of interwoven yarnsbeing substantially parallel to each other and interconnected in acontacting face-to-face relationship by tie yarns. The first layer andthe second layer can individually comprise a plurality ofmachine-direction yarns interwoven with a plurality of cross-machinedirection yarns. This type of fabric is illustrated in FIG. 5 of U.S.Pat. No. 5,840,411, issued Nov. 24, 1998 to Stelljes, Jr. et al., hereinincorporated by reference.

While a woven element can be used for the base fabric of the presentinvention, a papermaking belt according to the present invention can bemade using a felt as a reinforcing structure, as set forth in thepatents: U.S. Pat. No. 5,817,377, issued Oct. 6, 1998 to Trokhan et al.;U.S. Pat. No. 5,556,509, issued Sep. 17, 1996 to Trokhan et al.; andU.S. Pat. No. 5,871,887, issued Feb. 16, 1999 to Trokhan et al., all ofwhich are herein incorporated by reference to the extent compatible withthe present specification.

The base fabric, prior to application of resin and addition of raisedelements, can be highly permeable, meaning that it can have an airpermeability greater than about 800 cubic feet per minute (cfm) persquare foot of its surface at a pressure differential of 100 Pascals.The base fabric can have an air permeability between about 900 and about1100 cfm per square foot of its surface at a pressure differential of100 Pascals. More specifically, the air permeability can be betweenabout 950 and about 1050 cfm per square foot at a pressure differentialof 100 Pascals.

The base fabric can function to support the fibers fully deflected intothe conduits, not allowing them to be blown through the deflectionmember. Therefore, the deflection member can provide high fiber support,meaning that the base fabric of the present invention has a FiberSupport Index of not less than about 75. As used herein, the FiberSupport Index or FSI is defined in Robert L. Beran, “The Evaluation andSelection of Forming Fabrics,” Tappi April 1979, Vol. 62, No. 4, whichis incorporated by reference. The base fabric of the present inventioncan have an FSI not less than 85. More specifically, the FSI is greaterthan 90.

The base fabric can be nonwoven or woven. It can comprise conductiveelements or be substantially nonconductive, and can have a single,integral layer of material or comprise a plurality of layers laminatedor otherwise joined together. One or more layers of the base fabrics (orof the complete deflection member) can be laser drilled or apertured, orall layers may be free of laser-drilled apertures and/or free ofmechanically created apertures (i.e., apertures created by stamping,cutting, or perforating).

The Deflection Member: Production and Photocuring

The deflection member comprises raised elements having a web densifyingsurface (also known as the web imprinting surface for use in imprintingoperations) and a deflection conduit portion into which a wet web can bedeformed to form structures such as domes dispersed between high densityregions of a web that were pressed against the raised elements.Deflection members can be any one of several classes, including fabricsprimarily comprising woven webs; fabrics comprising a woven or nonwovenforaminous base with resin elements added to the base; materials withelevated structures such as nonwoven webs, sintered materials, films, orfoam elements, the elevated structures residing on a base such as awoven fabric; and fabrics comprised of one of more layers of porous filmor sheets that have not been woven but have been provided with holes orapertures.

The texture of the web-contacting side of the deflection member can beimparted to a paper web by imprinting, pressing, or by other means ofapplying a force to the paper web as it is in contact with thedeflection member. When the sheet is pressed against the deflectionmember with a sufficiently high force, the web will receive a texturefrom the interaction of the web with the raised elements and thedeflection conduits, and will have differential density imparted to it.The raised elements can have a depth in the z-direction relative to theupper surface of the base fabric of at least about 30 micrometers, morespecifically at least about 100 micrometers, more specifically still atleast about 200 micrometers, and still more specifically at least about500 micrometers. A suitable range for producing an absorbent, thick,soft aesthetically pleasing tissue paper is from about 300 to 1000micrometers (0.3 mm to 1 mm), or, for more highly texture webs, fromabout 600 to 3000 micrometers (0.6 mm to 3 mm).

The deflection member can be made according to any of the following:U.S. Pat. No. 4,529,480, issued Jul. 16, 1985 to Trokhan; U.S. Pat. No.4,514,345, issued Apr. 30, 1985 to Johnson et al.; U.S. Pat. No.4,528,239, issued Jul. 9, 1985 to Trokhan; U.S. Pat. No. 5,098,522,issued Mar. 24, 1992; U.S. Pat. No. 5,260,171, issued Nov. 9, 1993 toSmurkoski et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,275,700, issued Jan. 4, 1994 toTrokhan; U.S. Pat. No. 5,328,565, issued Jul. 12, 1994 to Rasch et al.;U.S. Pat. No. 5,334,289, issued Aug. 2, 1994 to Trokhan et al.; U.S.Pat. No. 5,431,786, issued Jul. 11, 1995 to Rasch et al.; U.S. Pat. No.5,496,624, issued Mar. 5,1996 to Stelljes, Jr. et al.; U.S. Pat. No.5,500,277, issued Mar. 19, 1996 to Trokhan et al.; U.S. Pat. No.5,514,523, issued May 7, 1996 to Trokhan et al.; U.S. Pat. No.5,554,467, issued Sep. 10, 1996, to Trokhan et al.; U.S. Pat. No.5,566,724, issued Oct. 22, 1996 to Trokhan et al.; U.S. Pat. No.5,624,790, issued Apr. 29, 1997 to Trokhan et al.; U.S. Pat. Nos.6,010,598, issued Jan. 4, 2000 to Boutilier et al.; and U.S. Pat. No.5,628,876, issued May 13, 1997 to Ayers et al., the disclosures of whichare incorporated herein by reference.

The raised elements can be applied to a reinforcing structure as taughtby U.S. Pat. No. 5,556,509, issued Sep. 17, 1996 to Trokhan et al.; U.S.Pat. No. 5,580,423, issued Dec. 3, 1996 to Ampulski et al.; U.S. Pat.No. 5,609,725, issued Mar. 11, 1997 to Phan; U.S. Pat. No. 5,629,052,issued May 13, 1997 to Trokhan et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,637,194, issuedJun. 10, 1997 to Ampulski et al. and U.S. Pat. No. 5,674,663, issuedOct. 7, 1997 to McFarland et al., the disclosures of which areincorporated herein by reference.

A suitable deflection member according to present invention may be madeby utilizing a photosensitive resin as described in the above-referencedpatents. However, for one useful embodiment described below, severaldeviations from the above-mentioned prior art manufacturing processesare set forth below.

In one embodiment, liquid photosensitive resin is provided. Any suitableresin can be used, including acrylates, which historically have beenwidely accepted in photocuring systems, primarily because of the widerange of suitable initiators that can be successfully applied. Oneexample of a liquid photosensitive resin is Merigraph L055 availablefrom MacDermid Imaging Technology, Inc. of Wilmington, Del. Epoxy typeresins, such as bisphenol-A-diglycidyl ethers, novolac-epoxy resins, andcycloaliphatic epoxy can also be used, including mixtures of epoxyresins with silanes, acrylates, or other resins or monomers.

Suitable liquid photosensitive resins can further include polyimidescapable of final curing at room temperature. NASA Tech Briefs, March1999, p. 52-53 describes room-temperature UV curing of polyimides with anew Diels-A1der route involving photoenolozation of methylphenylketones. Prior methods for curing polyimides required temperatures above200° C. Such polyimides can also be adapted for UV-cured fabrics for usein the present invention.

Poly(cis-isoprene) and its derivatives, known to be useful in negativephotoresist methods, can also be used.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,668,601, issued May 26,1987 to J. F. Kistner, hereinincorporated by reference, discloses a UV curing technology which can beapplied to fabrics of the present invention. Kistner discloses a resincomprising a polymerizable epoxy-functional silane compound and acationic photoinitiator. Photoinitiators in the present invention caninclude any known photoinitators, including cationic, anionic, orfree-radical types. Likewise, the monomers of the curable resins of thepresent invention can be cationically or anionically polymerizable orpolymerizable without ionic photoinitiators. Exemplary cationicphotoninitators, for example, include iodonium or sulfonium compounds,which can be used in epoxy resins, vinyl ethers, acrylates, and otherresins. Anionic photoinitiators are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No.5,652,280, issued Jul. 29, 1997 to C. R. Kutal, herein incorporated byreference.

Monomers, oligomers, and polymers that can be modified by anionicphotoinitiation are those that are capable of reaction on attack by ananionically charged nucleophile, including but not limited to ethylene,1,3-dienes, styrene and alpha-methyl styrene, acrylates andmethacrylates, acrylonitrile, methacrylonitrile, acrylamide andmethacrylamide, and aldehydes and ketones, and oligomers and polymerscontaining these moieties. Suitable substrates also include monomers,oligomers, and polymers that undergo anionic ring-opening polymerizationor crosslinking reactions, for example, N-carboxy-alpha-aminoanhydrides, cyclic amides, cyclic esters, epoxides and siloxanes.Preferred monomers are ethylenically unsaturated monomers that containselectron-withdrawing substituents to stabilize the negative charge, forexample, ethyl alpha-cyanoacrylate (see equation 5) and methylalpha-trifluoromethylacrylate.

The resin system can also comprise one or more antioxidant compounds,according to U.S. Pat. No. 6,010,598, issued to Boutilier et al. on Jan.4, 2000; and U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,059,283 issued to Hood et al. on Oct. 22,1991 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,0573,235 issued to Trokhan on Dec. 17, 1991,the pertinent parts of which are incorporated herein by reference.Antioxidants can be added to prevent the resinous polymer from oxidizingand causing degradation of the deflection member. Suitable chemicalswhich may be used as antioxidants include but are not limited to: highmolecular weight hindered phenols, secondary amines, phosphates,phosphites, thioesters, sulfur-containing compounds and secondarysulfides. By way of example only, commercially available antioxidantscan include: Irganox 1010 marketed by Ciba Geigy Corp. of Hawthorne,N.Y. and Cyanox 1790 marketed by Cytec Industries Inc. of West Paterson,N. J. Antioxidants can be added in a concentration of from about 0.001%to 5.0% by weight.

Resins curable by radiation other than UV light or visible light canalso be considered, such as resins curable by electron beam radiation orgamma radiation, when the radiation sources are applied in a suitablepattern or through a suitable mask.

General principles of radiation curing of polymers are discussed inRadiation Curing in Polymer Science and Technology: Fundamentals andMethods, ed. by J. P. Fouassier and J. F. Rabek, Vol. 1, ElsevierApplied Science, 1993 (ISBN: 1851669299), and Radiation Curing inPolymer Science and Technology: Photoinitiating Systems, ed. by J. P.Fouassier and J. F. Rabek, Vol. 2, Elsevier Applied Science, 1993 (ISBN:1851669337).

In one embodiment, the resin is disposed on a backing surface such as alarge roll. A mask having transparent and opaque regions is juxtaposedwith the photosensitive resin. Actinic radiation such as ultravioletlight is passed through the transparent regions of the mask.Alternatively, visible light is passed through the mask if visible lightphotoinitiators are used, or an electron beam can be passed through themask for electron beam curing of the resin, or other radiation sourcessuited for curing the resin are passed through the mask. The radiationpassing through the transparent regions of the mask cures the resintherebeneath to yield an impermeable region in the deflection member.After curing, described more fully below, uncured resin is removed bywashing, solvent extraction, or other means, leaving a cured web with athree-dimensional structure.

The above-mentioned process can be considered as a negative photoresistmethod, in which the regions of the resin exposed to light becomehardened relative to the unexposed regions. However, a positivephotoresist method can also be applied, in which the light-exposedregions of the resin are softened relative to the unexposed resin andsubsequently removed by solvents or other means. Thus, curing of a resincan be achieved with positive or negative photoresist methods.

In another embodiment, more than one mask is used. Thus, in a negativephotoresist method of forming an imprinting fabric, a first portion ofthe resin is at least partially cured using a radiation source appliedfor a predetermined period of time through a first mask having a firstpattern. Then a second portion of the resin is at least partially curedusing a radiation source applied for a predetermined period of timethrough a second mask having a second pattern. The radiation source maybe the same for both steps or a different radiation source may be usedin the second step. For example, visible light of a first wavelengthrange or electron beam radiation may be used with the first mask,whereafter ultraviolent radiation or visible light radiation of a secondwavelength range may be used with a second mask. Additional steps ofapplying radiation sources through additional masks may also beconsidered.

The use of two or more masks having different patterns is one of severalmethods for the creation of cured resin elements having complex shapes.Rather than being limited to elements having straight sides, curved orbent sides can be created. For example, a first mask having smallopenings can cure narrow, straight-sided elements. Then the mask can bechanged to a similar pattern with larger openings, still in registrationwith the pattern of cured regions from the first mask. Curing radiationis then applied to selectively cure the upper portions of the uncuredresin beneath the expanded openings of the second mask. The curingradiation may be of a wavelength that does not penetrate the uncuredresin to a significant depth (e.g., a shorter wavelength ultravioletradiation source or an electron beam or visible light coupled with aphotoinitiator comprising a bleachable dye to absorb the light andpromote curing in the upper layers of the resin). Application of theradiation through the mask for a limited period of time will result inelements of cured resin that are narrow at the base and grow broad nearthe top surface.

Curing could also be accomplished with a first radiation source appliedthrough a first mask below the fabric, to cure resin in contact with thebase fabric, while radiation from a second source above the fabric isapplied through a second mask to cure resin above the base fabric. Theinteraction of the two patterns and the two sources of radiation canresult in a variety of complex patterns, including elements that eithergrow wider or more narrow as they rise from the base fabric. Two or moresubsets of elements may be created, such as one subset that growsnarrower and one subset that grows wider as they rise from the basefabric.

In still another embodiment, the orientation of the mask or the lightsource relative to fabric changes with time during curing. By moving therelative positions over time, curved surfaces and changing slopes can becreated. Also two or more radiation sources positioned at differentlocations over the fabric can be used, and the relative intensities ofthe sources can be changed with time to create complex shapes of theelements formed by curing.

UV photocuring techniques and equipment therefore are well known andprinciples therefor are taught in previously cited patents. By way ofspecific equipment, UV curing can be achieved using devices such asthose produced by UV Process Supply, Inc., Chicago, Ill, as described intheir 1998 catalog (UVPS-CA98).

Fabrics formed by adding resin elements to a woven base can be formed ina variety of ways (most of which can also be applied to the addition ofresin elements to a nonwoven base), including application of a resinover much or all of a woven base followed by selective curing ofparticular regions, such as UV curing through a stencil or mask toselected portions of the resin only, followed by removal of uncuredresin through application of a solvent or other means. Alternatively,resins can be added directly in a pattern without the need forphotocuring if the resin is self-curing (i.e., an epoxy resin aftermixing with an initiator) or is cured or solidified by other means, suchas thermal curing or cooling of a molten thermoplastic. For example, awoven base fabric could be held against a mold for receiving a resin inliquid state which hardens in contact with the base fabric, with atexture imparted by the substrate which held the resin against thefabric.

For photocuring (or radiation curing, more generally speaking) of resin,radiation can be bombarded on the deflection member both in thedirection perpendicular to the plane of the deflection member and inoff-axis, i.e., non-perpendicular directions. By providing off-axisradiation, a portion of the resin registered with, but beneath, theopaque regions of the mask is cured, along with the resin registeredwith the transparent regions of the mask. However, such curing beneaththe opaque regions occurs at a finite depth below the mask. The regionsof the resin immediately beneath the opaque regions of the mask may notcure, due to the incident angle of the radiation. The off-axis, i.e.,non-perpendicular, radiation should be sufficient to cure the resinthroughout the X-Y plane of the deflection member. For one embodimentfor producing a fabric with an asymmetrical profile in the raisedelements (or in the deflection conduits), actinic radiation is appliedfrom only one direction varying from the perpendicular at an angle of 10degrees or more; more specifically 14 degrees or more; more specificallystill about 20 degrees or more; and most specifically still from about25 degrees to about 45 degrees.

In another embodiment, a raised element is cured by radiation appliedfrom two or more angles, as described above in connection with FIG. 13,either through the use of two or more radiation sources or by the use ofone radiation source which is moved to a second position after initiallytreating the resin from first position. Alternatively, radiation may beapplied successively through two or more masks, either from one or froma plurality of angles, to create more complex structures than previouslyknown.

The principle of applying radiation from two or more angles (includingcontinuously varied angles) can also be extended to manufacturingmethods other than radiative curing. For example, complex structures canbe produced from a plastic web by laser drilling, wherein the angle ofincidence of the laser radiation is varied during production to producedeflection conduits having walls with two or more angles, such asconduits with a leading machine direction edge having an angle greaterthan 15 degrees away from the vertical, and a trailing edge that issubstantially vertical. The leading edge can have a positive inclination(such that the top of the conduit is wider than the base) or a negativeinclination (such that the top of the conduit is narrower than thebase). Rapid prototype manufacturing that employs light or other formsof radiation can also employ a plurality of radiation angles.

To achieve some aspects of the present invention, it can be desirable toimpart certain mechanical and geometrical properties to the deflectionmember. Many such properties can be obtained with known UV-curedimprinting fabrics and other fabrics known in the art, but suitablefabrics can also be obtained through the application of technologiesother than UV-curing such as visible light photocuring, including, forexample, three-component photoinitiator systems suitable for use withvisible laser light optical systems. Visible light photocuringeliminates some of the safety concerns associated with ultravioletprocessing and also has the potential to offer reduced cost. Thespectrum of the visible light can be substantially monochromatic, suchas is characteristic of laser light, or a combination of less than 10monochromatic frequencies, or can have a broad distributioncharacteristic of light from lamps or other non-coherent sources. Thevisible light can have a maximum intensity at a wavelength of any one ofthe following: about 400 nm or greater, about 450 nm or greater, about500 nm or greater, about 550 nm or greater, about 600 nm or greater,with exemplary ranges of 410 nm to 1100 nm, more specifically from about450 nm to about 800 nm; and more specifically from about 500 nm to about750 nm.

In one embodiment, a fabric is prepared with a first resin and a secondresin, separately curable by visible and UV light, respectively, whereincuring can be performed in successive steps or simultaneously to providetwo or more patterns of cured materials having different materialproperties. For example, treatment with visible light could be conductedfirst, followed by further treatment with UV light. In general,photocured deflection members need not be produced with actinicradiation or ultraviolet light in particular, but can also be producedwith non-actinic visible or infrared light, or by radiation from non-UVsources as electron beams or gamma rays applied through a suitable maskto shield the curing radiation from regions of the resin that are toremain uncured and readily removable. Pulsed light or flash curingsystems can be used, as well as continuous light sources. Useful pulsedlight systems and continuous light systems are available from XenonCorp. (Woburn, Mass.) or UV Process Supply, Inc. (Chicago, Ill.).

Visible light photocuring can be achieved with the three componentphotoinitiator systems described by Kathryn Sirovatka Padon and Alec B.Scranton of Michigan State University in “Recent Advances in ThreeComponent Photoinitiator Systems,” Recent Research Development inPolymer Science, Vol. 3, pp. 369-385, 1999.

According to Padon and Scranton, typical UV photocuring methods rely onphotoscission excited by the absorption of ultraviolet light, whichbrings the photoinitiator into a triplet state wherein the bond alpha tothe carbonyl group is cleaved, yielding a benzoyl radical and a secondfragment. Examples of such photoinitiators include benzoin ethers,dialkoxyacetophenones, hydroxy alkyl ketones, benzoyl oxime esters,amino ketones, and morpholino ketones, all of which absorb via thebenzoyl chromophore in the spectrum range of about 150 to 400 nm. Gammacleavage may also occur for some alpha-cleavable photoinitiators.

The use of more than one component is required for some photoinitiators.Bimolecular reactions involving hydrogen abstraction are involved in oneclass of known photoinitiators, for example, including the benzophenoneand thioxanthone families. Bimolecular reactions involving electrontransfer is somewhat more common. In this system, a photoinitiator in atriplet state forms an exciplex with an electron donor, typically anamine, according to Padon and Scranton. When the electron istransferred, followed by proton transfer from the amine to thephotoinitiator, neutral amine and ketyl radicals are formed. Theelectron transfer mechanism can occur for benzophenones, thioxanthones,benzil derivatives, ketocoumarins, xanthones, and camphorquinone.

For visible light photoinitiation, many dyes and other compounds areknown for which bimolecular mechanisms occur involving electron transferinitiators. Iron-arene complexes and titanocene derivatives are alsoknown for visible light systems, and even some alpha-cleavable systemsare known with absorption maxima beyond 300 nm.

A recent development has been three-component systems for visible lightphotoinitiation. These systems comprise a dye or other light absorbingcompound, an electron donor which can be an amine, and third componentthat is typically an iodonium salt which can accept an electron. Typicalelectron donors include N-methyldiethanolamine, N-phenylglycine, sodiumtoluene sulfinate, N,N-dimethylacetamide, 4,4-dimethoxybiphenyl,N,N-dimethylurea, triethylamine, and ferrocene. Diphenyliodoniumchloride is the most commonly used third component, but other iodoniumsalts can be used, including those with less nucleophilic counterionssuch as AsF₆ ⁻, PF₆ ⁻, SbF₆ ⁻, BF₄ ⁻, Br⁻, I⁻, C₆H₅SO₃ ⁻, and SbF₅OH⁻.Substituted iodonium c can also be used. Known substitutes for iodoniumcan also be applied, including bromine compounds, metallocenes, andsulfonium salts. Specific known third components listed by Padon andScranton include 2,2,2-tribromoacetophenone, and iron arene complexessuch as that described by Fouassier et al, Polymer, Vol. 38, 1997, p.1415. Such three-component systems require less energy to be activatedthan typical two-component systems. In many three-component systems, thedye undergoes photobleaching, allowing light to pass deeper into theresin as curing occurs, enabling the curing of relatively thick resindeposits. See, for example, V. Narayanan and A. B. Scranton, Trends inPolymer Science, Vol. 5, 1997, p. 415. One useful system is disclosed inU.S. Pat. No. 5,229,253, issued Mar. 8, 1991 to R. Zertani, hereinincorporated by reference. Zertani discloses a photopolymerizablemixture comprising a polymeric binder, a compound which is polymerizableby free radicals and at least one polymerizable group and aphotoreducible dye plus a dicyclopentadienylbis(2,4,6-trifluorophenyl)-titanium or -zirconium as the photoinitiator.The mixture is said to be suitable for producing printing plates andphotoresists and is distinguished by particularly high photosensitivityin the visible region of the spectrum. It can be imaged, for example,with laser radiation in the visible region. Another three-componentsystem is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,735,632, issued to J. D. Oxman etal., Apr. 5, 1988, herein incorporated by reference. Photopolymerizationof an acrylic monomer (phenoxy diethyleneglycol acrylate) using an argonion laser (visible light with a wavelength of 488 nm) was made possiblewith Kodak Reagent 14875, a ketocoumarin compound(3,3′-carbonyl-bis-7-diethylaminocoumarin) in the presence of an amine(e.g., N-phenylglycine) and an onium salt (e.g., diphenyl iodoniumchloride), according to J. P. Fouassier et al., “A New Three-componentSystem in Visible Light Photo-induced Polymerization,” J. ImagingScience and Technology, Vol. 37, No. 2, March/April 1993, pp. 208-210.

Dyes known to be useful in sensitizing iodonium salts include acridineorange, acridine yellow, benzoflavin, phosphine R, Michler's Ketone,hematoporphyrin and setoflavin T.

M. Kawabata and Y. Takimoto disclose the use of an argon ion laser beamto cure a three-component system with visible light in “PhotoinitiationSystems Comprises of Dyes and Radical Precursors,” Journal ofPhotopolymer Science and Technology, Vol. 1, No. 2, 1988, pp. 222-227.The system comprises a dye, diphenyliodonium chloride, andN-phenylglycine. The photoinitiators were dissolved in a solvent andmixed with a solution of an acrylic polymer and a polyfunctional acrylicmonomer. The weight ratio of the polymer, monomer, and dye was100:100:6. An argon ion laser scanning system was used for imageformation. The wavelength was 488 nm, the beam diameter 25 micrometers,and the laser power was 0.1, W, 0.2 W, or 0.3 W. Application of thelaser light was found to cause the polymer solution to gel. Byextension, a similar system could be used to cure a resin on areinforcement member such as a woven fabric. Application of laser lightin specific patterns, as is well known in the art, could be used toprovide patterns and textures in a papermaking fabric that werepreviously unknown or difficult to achieve.

While curing of the resin as described above has generally beenpresented in terms analogous to negative photoresist methods, whereinlight hardens the exposed resin, positive photoresist systems are alsowithin the scope of the present invention. Positive photoresist systemstypically employ a non-photosensitive base resin such as a novolac resinand a photosensitive dissolution inhibitor, typicallydiazonaphthoquinone or tri-diazonaphthoquinone sulfonyl benzophenone.Upon exposure to light, the dissolution inhibitor is attacked. Uponsubsequent contact of the resin with a solvent, the photoexposed regionsare dissolved, but the masked areas with active dissolution inhibitorsremain relatively intact. The solvent can be aqueous alkaline solutions,which can attack hydrophilic novolac resins (the attack is impeded bythe hydrophobic inhibitor) or other solvents known in the art. Thedissolution inhibitor can make the resin more hydrophobic and thusprevent attack. In a related embodiment, the positive photoresist resincan comprise a polysulfone, such as polybutene-1-sulfone, which breaksdown upon exposure to radiation such as an electron beam, allowingtreatment with a subsequent “developer” to dissolved the phototreatedpolymer. The base resin in the positive photoresist method can be fullycured by heating or by other methods known in the art. Some systems areadapted for use with excimers, such as DHK-1200 (Dongjin Semichem,Korea), a positive type photoresist adapted for KrF excimers.

Three-dimensional UV curing can also be practiced. For example,Lighthouse TM VL Curing Systems by UV Process Supply, Inc. (Chicago,Ill.) are UV curing systems designed for 3-D liquid and powder coatingUV curing applications, which can be used according to the presentinvention to provide asymmetrical structures in a photocured resinresiding on a substrate.

Textured polymeric fabrics can also be formed by a variety of methodsfor assembling three-dimensional structures in the art of rapidprototyping, including selective laser sintering, stereolithography, andRTV (room temperature vulcanization) molding, all of which are servicesavailable from Accelerated Technologies, Inc. (Austin, Tex.). A relatedmethod is Fuse Deposition Modeling, in which a molten stream of apolymer is selectively laid down in thin layers according to apredetermined pattern to build a complex three-dimensional structure.Fuse Deposition Modeling is offered by Conceptual Reality L. L. C.(Walled Lake, Mich.). The material made in this manner may be used asis, or after joining to a reinforcing base layer or other components toform a composite fabric. Rapid prototyping may be done with areinforcing fabric or mesh already present, as well.

The deflection member need not be made by photocuring or by patternedcuring of resin, but can be made in a wide variety of methods known inthe art. Machine tooling of polymer belts can be applied to engravespecific patterns into a belt to create a deflection member or atextured shoe belt. Thus, metal or hardened polymeric tools can actdirectly on an initially flat surface to impart engraving marks.Likewise, an initially flat polymeric belt can be rendered textured bythermal molding against a textured surface, embossing between one ormore textured surfaces, laser engraving, ablation, ultrasonic drillingor molding, and the like. The deflection member can also be a drillednonwoven web such as the web of Hans Albert disclosed in U.S. Pat. No.4,541,895, issued Sep. 17, 1985 previously incorporated by reference.One source for laser drilling to provide textured deflection members isLaserworks, a division of Stencil Aire, Inc., (Green Lake, Wis.).

A deflection member can also be formed by molding or casting to have atexture, which may subsequently be modified by tooling, engraving, orother methods to further enhance the texture. Likewise, a resin may bemolded into a desired shape by contact with a molding surface, asdisclosed in WO 00/14328 by R. Ampulski, published Mar. 16, 2000. Themethod described by Ampulski comprises depositing a flowable resinousmaterial onto a patterned molding surface; continuously moving themolding surface and a reinforcing structure (a base fabric) at atransport velocity such that at least a portion of the reinforcingstructure is in a face-to-face relationship with a portion of themolding surface; applying a fluid pressure differential to transfer theflowable resinous material from the molding surface onto the reinforcingstructure and causing the flowable resinous material and the reinforcingstructure to join together; and solidifying the resinous materialthereby forming the resinous framework joined to the reinforcingstructure. Many other variations of molding processes are also withinthe scope of the present invention. For example, the resin may bepartially cured or hardened prior to contact with the reinforcingstructure, or the reinforcing structure may be in contact with themolding surface prior to application of the resinous material, or curingmay begin prior to application of the pressure differential, and soforth. Curing of the resin during molding (as in any other applicationinvolving curing of a resin) may be achieved by heating, actinicradiation, visible light, electron beam radiation, gamma radiation,microwave radiation, radiofrequency radiation, application of a reactivechemical in the gaseous or liquid phase, or by crosslinking initiated byaddition of a chemical initiator to the resin shortly prior toapplication of the resin to the molding surface (e.g., mixing of atwo-component epoxy system).

The above methods, including those made by visible light curing andother radiative curing techniques, can also be applied to the productionof fabrics having reinforcing piles, as described in U.S. Pat. No.6,110,324, issued Aug. 29, 2000 to Trokhan et al., herein incorporatedby reference in a manner consistent herewith, or for the production ofother fabric structures known in the art.

Other Embodiments of the Deflection Member

The deflection member may be made in several other embodiments. Forexample, it is not necessary that the deflection member utilize areinforcing structure. If desired, the deflection member may be made ofthe photosensitive resin, described above, cast on a surface not havinga reinforcing structure. Thus, a deflection member can comprise a singlematerial cast to form a network of raised elements with deflectionconduits therebetween, such as apertures that render the deflectionmember liquid permeable, or sealed depressed regions that providedeflection conduits in an impermeable deflection member.

The deflection members described herein can be substantially impermeableto water. By “substantially impermeable,” it is meant that thedeflection member transmits no water through capillaries having any onedimension of 50 microns or greater. In one embodiment, the deflectionmember is substantially impervious to liquid flow but pervious to gasflow. For example, a hydrophobic web with sufficiently small pores cansubstantially hinder the flow of water through the web while permittinggas transport. Thus, the web can have less than 5% open area and canhave an average pore size less than 20 microns, more specifically lessthan 10 microns, and most specifically from about 1 to 30 microns.

Polyurethane resins and foams have also successfully been used to renderbelts impermeable, as illustrated by the commercially availableTrans-belt, an impermeable belt manufactured by Albany International ofAlbany, N.Y. Alternatively, rubber and silicone coatings may be utilizedto render the belt impervious. The material which renders the beltimpervious may be applied by any known means such as printing, spraying,blade coating, other coating technologies, or impregnating. Impregnatingcan be done by immersing the belt in a bath of the substance or byforcing the substance into the voids of the belt at an elevatedhydraulic pressure (i.e., a pressure gradient drives the substance intothe belt).

Suitably, the deflection member according to the present invention maybe made with a texture comprising semi-continuous, continuous ordiscrete patterns or combinations thereof in the X-Y plane of the belt.In producing an impermeable deflection member, a permeable papermakingbelt having outwardly extending raised elements and openingstherebetween can be rendered impermeable. For example, a permeabledeflection member according to other embodiments of the presentinvention can be used, as well as the belt disclosed in U.S. Pat. No.4,239,065, issued to Trokhan, or a Spectra Membrane® fabric sold byVoith Fabrics (Raleigh, N.C., formerly sold by the Scapa Group ofEngland). The belt is immersed in liquid resin to a depth which does notimmerse the outwardly extending raised elements of the belt. The resinis cured as described above rendering the belt impermeable, but leavingthe pattern of raised elements so that the impermeable deflection memberretains its original texture. More generally, the openings between theraised elements are sealed with cured resin, a film, or other materialswhile preserving at least a portion of the texture of the web contactingsurface of the fabric, such that deflection conduits are defined betweenthe raised elements.

In another embodiment, after a belt has been rendered impermeable by anymeans or material, additional texture may be imparted to form adeflection member by casting photosensitive resin thereon, as describedabove. Alternatively, the texture may be provided by stitching, orselectively removing material from the belt. The texture, without regardto how it is imparted or the belt is made, may comprise any desired X-Ypattern. The texture may be discontinuous, semi-continuous, orcontinuous.

One embodiment utilizes an impermeable conventional felt. Theimpermeable felt has material applied to the back side which renders thefelt impermeable. Then, the top side of the felt is provided withknuckles by stitching the knuckles into the sheet side thereof. In thismanner, an impermeable felt having knuckles which imparts texture andalso absorbs water from the paper is provided. As used herein, knucklesrefer to a pattern raised above the plane of the sheet side of thedeflection member and extending outwardly therefrom.

In one embodiment, the deflection member comprises two or more sets ofdeformation elements (e.g., the UV-cured resin elements on a woven basefabric) residing in a common plane or multiple planes wherein theelastic properties of the deformation elements differ substantially. Thedomes formed by deformation of a web into the deflection conduitsbetween or in the deformation elements will therefore differ inproperties (height, thickness, strength, etc.) because of the differingmechanical response of the deformation elements. For example, twoUV-curable resins could be applied in discrete zones on a fabric, suchas in two separate steps, with one resin curing to be substantiallyrigid and the other curing to a substantially elastomeric state orsubstantially deformable state. Alternatively, a visible-light resincould be cured in a pattern applied by a computer-controlled lasersource, while a second UV-curable resin was cured by traditionalmethods, producing a fabric with two patterns of cured resins cured byvisible-light and UV-light, respectively. The two patterns may havedifferent heights, different compressive properties (e.g., differingelastic moduli), or different thermal conductivities. Likewise, thesupport structures for the deformation elements may have differentmaterial properties to allow some regions of the deflection member todeform more than others when in a nip. With two or more regions of thedeflection member having different material properties, pressing thedeflection member against a web in a nip can yield one set ofdepressions or elevated regions in the web having greater depth andclarity and different material properties than the set of depressions orsheet markings formed by deformation elements having a second set ofmaterial properties. The combination of two or more regions ofdeflection elements or support elements on the deflection member havingdifferent material properties (compressibility or height, for example)with a press nip optionally having differential velocity contact opensthe possibility for a wide range of material properties and texturesthat can be imparted to tissue webs.

Papermaking belts or fabrics useful for the method of Ampulski thatcould be modified to have two or more resin-based or thermoplasticdeformation elements include those of U.S. Pat. No. 5,098,522,“Papermaking Belt and Method of Making the Same Using a Textured CastingSurface,” issued to J. A. Smurkoski et al., Mar. 24, 1992; U.S. Pat. No.5,275,700, issued Jan. 4, 1994 to Trokhan; U.S. Pat. No. 4,529,480,issued to P. D. Trokhan, Jul. 16, 1985; U.S. Pat. No. 4,637,859, issuedto P. D. Trokhan, Jan. 20, 1987; U.S. Pat. No. 4,514,345, issued toJohnson et al., Apr. 30, 1985, and the like. Voit's Ribbed Spectra®fabrics and other Voith fabrics can also be used, including thosedisclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,508,095, “Papermachine Clothing,” issued toA. Allum et al., Apr. 16, 1996, or other fabrics with extruded elevatedthermoplastic or resin members adhered to a woven base fabric. Otherfabric concepts can also be used, including the nonwoven moldingsubstrates of Lindsay and Burazin in U.S. Pat. No. 6,080,691, issuedJun. 27, 2000, previously incorporated by reference.

In an alternative embodiment, the deflection member is joined to thedeformable backing fabric, yielding a composite deflection member. Forexample, a papermakers felt can be impregnated with a photocurable resin(or, more generally, a radiation curable resin) on the upper surface,which is then cured in a pattern to form cured raised elements anddeflection conduits where the resin was not cured but subsequentlyremoved, as by washing with a solvent. Principles for production ofcomposite imprinting elements are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,817,377,“Method of Applying a Curable Resin to a Substrate for Use inPapermaking,” issued Oct. 6, 1998 to Trokhan et al., and U.S. Pat. No.5,871,887, “Web Patterning Apparatus Comprising a Felt Layer and aPhotosensitive Resin Layer,” issued Feb. 16, 1999 to Trokhan et al.,both of which are herein incorporated by reference.

Though photocurable resins are preferred, radiation curable resins ingeneral can be used. Radiation curable resins include resin systems(including initiators) that can be cured by application of radiationsuch as gamma rays, an electron beam, actinic light, visible light.Resin systems curable by any of these types of radiation are known tothose skilled in the art and can be adapted for the present invention.

The texture from the deflection member can interact effectively with thetexture of yet another web-contacting element to produce a texture morecomplex or beneficial to material properties than could be obtained witha single fabric. The other web-contacting element with whose texture thetexture of the deflection member can interact could be the deformablecarrier fabric or a subsequent through-drying or imprinting fabric or atextured roll such as a drying drum or an embossing roll. In oneembodiment, however, the other web-contacting element is not anembossing roll, and more specifically is an element that imparts adegree of texture to the web before it has been dried above about 70%solids, more specifically above about 80% solids, and most specificallybefore it has reached final dryness (typically over 90% such as about95-98% dryness).

The deflection member of the present invention may also comprise two ormore reinforcing layers (i.e., the base fabric may comprise two or morelayers of material, such as separately woven or interwoven layers),wherein at least one subset of the raised elements join at least two ofthe two or more reinforcing layers together. Such embodiments may followthe principles and structures disclosed by Stelljes, Jr. et al. in U.S.Pat. No. 5,496,624, “Multiple Layer Papermaking Belt Providing ImprovedFiber Support for Cellulosic Fibrous Structures, and Cellulosic FibrousStructures Produced Thereby,” issued Mar. 5, 1996, herein incorporatedby reference.

The deflection member may further comprise a fine texture superimposedon the individual raised elements. For example, ridges,microprotrusions, and indentations can be placed on the surfaces of theraised elements. In particular, the raised elements can also comprise“synclines” as defined in U.S. Pat. No. 6,117,270, issued Sep. 12, 2000to Trokhan, herein incorporated by reference in a manner consistentherewith. In general, a syncline is a blind hole, fissure, chasm, ornotch in the framework of raised elements, in contrast to a deflectionconduit which provides an open hole exposing the underlying base fabric.In addition to the holes, fissures, chasms, or notches of U.S. Pat. No.6,117,270, the deflection members of the present invention can bemodified to have “anti-synclines,” which are ridges, bumps, andprotrusions on the framework of raised elements that can impart“negative” versions of the small-scale texture that would have beenimparted by similarly patterned synclines (imparting indentations to thepaper in contrast to the raised bumps that synclines would impart). Anyof the syncline patterns or principles for formation of synclinepatterns described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,117,270 can generally be adaptedfor anti-synclines as well. In one embodiment, the deflection membercomprises a first pattern of synclines and a second pattern ofanti-synclines. The characteristic depth of an anti-syncline can beequal to, greater than, or smaller than suitable depths for synclines,and when both synclines and anti-synclines are present, thecharacteristic depths can be the same or substantially different.

The deflection member can be treated in a variety of ways to improvesurface properties, frictional properties, wear resistance, and thelike. Application of silicone compounds or other release agents to thesurface of the deflection member can be done. The deflection member canalso be treated with plasma, corona discharge, or chemical means toprovide desired functional groups on the surface.

Other Embodiments for Tissue

Many other treatments and processes known in the art can be applied tothe tissue web of the present invention. For example, once the web hasbeen transferred to the deflection member after the compressive nip, theweb may be further molded against the deflection member by applicationof a flexible sheet of material on the exposed surface of the web (thussandwiching the web between the deflection member and the flexible sheetof material), wherein the flexible sheet has a lower air permeabilitythan the deflection member, followed by application of differential airpressure across the combined flexible sheet, paper web, and deflectionmember, such that the highest air pressure is against the flexible sheetand the lowest air pressure is against the deflection member. In thismanner, the air pressure gradient will press against the less permeableflexible sheet and cause it to urge the web to further conform to thetopography of the deflection member, thus improving the molding of theweb. The flexible sheet can be elastic in the machine direction or inboth the machine direction and cross direction, to better conform to thetopography of the deflection member under differential air pressure. Themolding of a web by application of elevated air pressure against theflexible sheet of material is more fully described in U.S. Pat. No.5,893,965, issued Apr. 13, 1999 to Trokhan and Vitenberg, previouslyincorporated by reference. One useful flexible sheet for such purposesis the EXXTRAFLEX® film type “EXX 7 A-1” (having thickness of about 1.5mils) available from Exxon Chemical America's Film Division's plant,Lake Zurich, III., Exxon Corporation (New Jersey Corporation),Flemington, N. J. 08822. Further, U.S. Pat. No. 5,518,801 issued May 21,1996 to Chappell et al. and incorporated by reference herein, disclosesa web material that exhibits an elastic-like behavior along at least oneaxis when subjected to an applied and subsequently released elongation.The flexible sheet can be a deformable non-resilient sheet looselymaintained in a proximate relation to the deflection member and the webresiding thereon such that when elevated air pressure is applied to theflexible sheet, the sheet is capable of approximating the geometry ofthe deflection conduits of the belt deflection member.

Elevated portions of the web on either side of the web (tops of domes orthe pattern densified network) can be selectively treated with chemicalagents such as starch, sizing material, waxes, and the like to obtainimproved physical properties of the product. Means such as gravureprinting, size press coating of a liquid, and the like can be used.

The wet or dry web can also be impregnated with a solution, hot melt, orslurry. One useful method for impregnation of a moist web is theHydra-Sizer® system, produced by Black Clawson Corp., Watertown, N.Y.,as described in “New Technology to Apply Starch and Other Additives,”Pulp and Paper Canada, 100(2): T42-T44 (February. 1999). This systemconsists of a die, an adjustable support structure, a catch pan, and anadditive supply system. A thin curtain of descending liquid or slurry iscreated which contacts the moving web beneath it. Wide ranges of applieddoses of the coating material are said to be achievable with goodrunnability. The system can also be applied to curtain coat a relativelydry web, such as a web just before or after creping.

The elevated regions or depressed regions so produced can be providedwith absorbency aids, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,840,403,“Multi-Elevational Tissue Paper Containing Selectively Disposed ChemicalPapermaking Additive,” issued Nov. 24, 1998 to Trokhan et al., the partsof which that are non-contradictory with the instant specification beingherein incorporated by reference. Elevated portions of the web can alsobe provided with hydrophobic material to improve the dry feel of thewetted article against the skin, as disclosed in commonly owned U.S.Pat. No. 5,990,377, “Dual-Zoned Absorbent Webs,” issued Nov. 23, 1999herein incorporated by reference. For example, gravure printing ofquaternary ammonium-based debonder agents or softening agents can beused at a sufficiently low nip pressure to restrict absorption of theagent so applied to primarily the uppermost portions of the textured websurface. Skin care agents can likewise be printed or applied to theuppermost portions of the web surface, or applied uniformly or in apattern on the web surface. Skin care agents can include emollients,aloe vera, petrolatum, lotions, enzyme inhibitors, and other knowntherapeutic agents such as, for example, the oxothizolidine-carboxylicacid derivatives of U.S. Pat. No. 6,004,543, issued Dec. 21, 1999 toGaley et al.; the silicone salicylate esters of U.S. Pat. No. 6,004,542,issued Dec. 21, 1992 to O'Lenick; or anti-allergenic compounds,antiinflammatory compounds, or related topical compounds mentioned inU.S. Pat. No. 5,922,335, issued Jul. 13, 1999 to Ptchelintsev, hereinincorporated by reference, including ascorbyl-phosphoryl-cholesterolcompounds.

The paper webs of the present invention can be used in many forms,including multilayered structures, composite assemblies, and the like.The web may also be used as a basesheet for construction of wet wipes,paper towels, and other articles. For example, the web may beimpregnated with a latex and then creped. Specifically, the web may beused for double print-creping as described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,879,257,“Absorbent Unitary Laminate-Like Fibrous Webs and Method for ProducingThem,” issued Apr. 22, 1975 to Gentile et al., herein incorporated byreference. The web may also be treated with wet strength resins on oneside prior to contacting a Yankee dryer, wherein the wet strength resinassists in creping and provides improved temporary wet strength to theweb, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,993,602, “Method of ApplyingPermanent Wet Strength Agents to Impart Temporary Wet Strength inAbsorbent Tissue Structures,” issued Nov. 30, 1999 to Smith et al.

In one embodiment, the paper webs of the present invention are laminatedwith additional plies of tissue or layers of nonwoven materials such asspunbond or meltblown webs, or other synthetic or natural materials.Lamination can be achieved through crimping, perf-embossing, adhesiveattachment, etc. The adhesive can comprise natural materials such asstarch, gum arabic, and the like, or adhesives containing naturalfibers, exemplified by U.S. Pat. No. 5,958,558, “Corrugating AdhesivesEmploying Tapioca Fiber,” issued to J. E. T. Giesfeldt and J. R.Wallace, Sep. 28, 1999.

Laminates formed with the webs of the present invention can be producedby any method known in the art, including lamination with thermoplasticadhesives to a film as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,958,178, issued Sep.29, 1999 to P. Bartsch and H. J. Mueller.

In another embodiment, the webs of the present invention are used toproduce wet wipes such as premoistened bath tissue. For gooddispersibility and good wet strength, binders that are sensitive to ionconcentration can be used such that the binder provides integrity in awetting solution that is high in ion concentration, but loses strengthwhen placed in ordinary tap water because of a lower ion strength.Examples of suitable binders and product designs are disclosed in U.S.Pat. No. 5,972,805, “Ion Sensitive Polymeric Materials,” issued Oct. 26,1999 to Pomplun et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,935,880, “Dispersible NonwovenFabric and Method of Making Same,” issued Aug. 10, 1999 to Wang et al.;U.S. Pat. No. 5,384,189, “Water-Decomposable Non-Woven Fabric,” issuedJan. 24,1995 to Kuroda et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,317,063, “Water-SolublePolymer Sensitive to Salt,” issued May. 31, 1994 to Komatsu et al.; U.S.Pat. No. 5,312,883, “Water-Soluble Polymer Sensitive to Salt,” issuedMay. 17, 1994 to Komatsu et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 4,164,595, “PremoistenedFlushable Wiper,” issued Aug. 14,1979 to Adams et al.; and U.S. Pat. No.4,362,781, “Flushable Premoistened Wiper,” issued Dec. 7, 1982 toAnderson; all of which are herein incorporated by reference. Relatedwater dispersible binder systems include the cellulose sulfates ofVarona in U.S. Pat. No. 4,419,403, “Water Dispersible PremoistenedWiper,” issued Dec. 6, 1983.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,537,807, “Binder for Pre-Moistened Paper Products,”issued Aug. 27, 1985 to Chan et al., and herein incorporated byreference, discloses a premoistened towelette or wiper type paperproduct having high wet strength when stored in an acidic pH medium andduring usage and lower wet strength when immersed in a neutral oralkaline pH medium for disposal in conventional sewage systemscomprising a non-woven fibrous web. The nonwoven web is treated with apolymeric binder comprising a copolymer of glyoxal and polyvinyl alcoholwhich is said to maintain high wet strength when stored for sustainedperiods of time in acidic pH wetting medium conventionally used forexternal cleansing of the human body and during usage and yet which willreadily break-up during flushing. Chan et al. also teach a method oftreating non-woven fibrous webs with the glyoxalated polyvinyl alcoholcopolymer binder and drying prior to wetting in an acidic, e.g. boricacid medium. Such systems can be applied to the webs of the presentinvention as well.

After formation of the embryonic web and prior to contact with thedeflection member, a variety of other treatments can be applied to theweb to improve processability or to add desirable properties. Forexample, enhanced dewatering of the embryonic web can be performed bynonthermal or thermal means to elevated the web consistency to levelssuch as 20% of greater, more specifically 25% or greater, morespecifically still about 30% or greater, and most specifically about 40%or greater, with an exemplary range of from about 37% to 50% or from 42%to about 55%. Dewatering can be substantially nonthermal, particularlyfiber consistencies less than about 35%. Nonthermal dewatering means caninclude application of vacuum or differential gas pressure to driveliquid out, or applied capillary pressure across the web to pull liquidout. Useful methods with differential gas pressure include the use ofair presses as disclosed in commonly owned U.S. patent applications Ser.No. 08/647,508, “Method and Apparatus for Making Soft Tissue”, filed May14, 1996; Ser. No. 09/201100, “Apparatus and Method for Dewatering aPaper Web,” filed Nov. 30, 1998, and Ser. No. 09/298250, “Air Press ForDewatering A Wet Web,” filed Apr. 23, 1999. Also relevant are the papermachine disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,230,776 issued Jul. 27, 1993 toI.A. Andersson et al.; the capillary dewatering techniques disclosed inU.S. Pat. Nos. 5,598,643 issued Feb. 4, 1997 and 4,556,450 issued Dec.3, 1985, both to S. C. Chuang et al.; and the dewatering conceptsdisclosed by J. D. Lindsay in “Displacement Dewatering to MaintainBulk,” Paperija Puu, 74(3): 232-242 (1992).

The webs of the present invention may be subsequently treated in any wayknown in the art. The web may be provided with particles or pigmentssuch as superabsorbent particles, mineral fillers, pharmaceuticalsubstances, odor control agents, and the like, by methods such ascoating with a slurry, electrostatic adhesion, adhesive attachment, byapplication of particles to the web or to the elevated or depressedregions of the web, including application of fine particulates by an ionblast technique as described in WO 00/003092, “Method for Making Paper,Assembly for Implementing the Method and Paper Product Produced by theMethod,” by V. Nissinen et al., published Jan. 20, 2000, and the like.The web may also be calendered, embossed, slit, rewet, moistened for useas a wet wipe, impregnated with thermoplastic material or resins,treated with hydrophobic matter, printed, apertured, perforated,converted to multiply assemblies, or converted to bath tissue, facialtissue, paper towels, wipers, absorbent articles, and the like.

The tissue products of the present invention can be converted in anyknown tissue product suitable for consumer use. Converting can comprisecalendering, embossing, slitting, printing, addition of perfume,addition of lotion or emollients or health care additives such asmenthol, stacking preferably cut sheets for placement in a carton orproduction of rolls of finished product, and final packaging of theproduct, including wrapping with a poly film with suitable graphicsprinted thereon, or incorporation into other product forms.

Layered Webs

In one embodiment, the papermaking web itself comprises multiple layershaving different fibers or chemical additives. The tissue of the presentinvention can be produced in layered form, wherein a plurality offurnishes are used to produce an embryonic paper web. This can beachieved by employing a single headbox with two or more strata, or byemploying two or more headboxes depositing different furnishes in serieson a single forming fabric, or by employing two or more headboxes eachdepositing a furnish on a separate forming fabric to form an embryonicweb followed by joining (“couching”) the embryonic webs together to forma multi-layered web. The distinct furnishes may be differentiated by atleast one of consistency, fiber species (e.g., eucalyptus vs. softwood,or southern pine versus northern pine), fiber length, bleaching method(e.g., peroxide bleaching vs. chlorine dioxide bleaching), pulpingmethod (e.g., kraft versus sulfite pulping, or BCTMP vs. kraft), degreeof refining, pH, zeta potential, color, Canadian Standard Freeness(CSF), fines content, size distribution, synthetic fiber content (e.g.,one layer having 10% polyolefin fibers or bicomponent fibers of denierless than 6), and the presence of additives such as fillers (e.g.,CaCO₃, talc, zeolites, mica, kaolin, plastic particles such as groundpolyethylene, and the like) wet strength agents, starch, dry strengthadditives, antimicrobial additives, odor control agents, chelatingagents, chemical debonders, quaternary ammonia compounds, viscositymodifiers (e.g., CMC, polyethylene oxide, guar gum, xanthan gum,mucilage, okra extract, and the like), silicone compounds, fluorinatedpolymers, optical brighteners, and the like. For example, in U.S. Pat.No. 5,981,044, issued Nov. 9, 1999, Phan et al. disclose the use ofchemical softeners that are selectively distributed in the outer layersof the tissue, as can be practiced in the present invention.

Stratified headboxes for producing multilayered webs are described inU.S. Pat. No. 4,445,974, issued May 1, 1984, to Stenberg; U.S. Pat. No.3,923,593, issued Dec. 2, 1975 to Verseput; U.S. Pat. No. 3,225,074issued to Salomon et al., and U.S. Pat. No. 4,070,238, issued Jan. 24,1978 to Wahren. By way of example, useful headboxes can include afour-layer Beloit (Beloit, Wisc.) Concept III headbox or a Voith Sulzer(Ravensburg, Germany) ModuleJet® headbox in multilayer mode.

Principles for stratifying the web are taught by Kearney and Wells inU.S. Pat. No. 4,225,382, issued Sep. 30, 1980, which discloses the useof two or more layers to form ply-separable tissue. In one embodiment, afirst and second layer are provided from slurry streams differing inconsistency. In another embodiment, two well-bonded layers are separatedby an interior barrier layer to enhance ply separability. Dunning inU.S. Pat. No. 4,166,001, issued Aug. 28, 1979 also discloses a layeredtissue with strength agents in the outer layers of the web withdebonders in the inner layer. Taking a different approach aimed atimproving tactile properties, Carstens in U.S. Pat. No. 4,300,981,issued Nov. 17, 1981, discloses a layered web with relatively shortfibers on one or more outer surfaces of the tissue web. A layered webwith shorter fibers on an outer surface and longer fibers for strengthbeing in another layer is also disclosed by Morgan and Rich in U.S. Pat.No. 3,994,771 issued Nov. 30, 1976. Similar teaching are found in U.S.Pat. No. 4,112,167 issued Sep. 5, 1978 to Dake et al. and in U.S. Pat.No. U.S. Pat. No. 5,932,068, issued Aug. 3, 1999 to Farrington, Jr. etal. issued to Farrington et al., herein incorporated by reference. Otherprinciples for layered web production are also disclosed in U.S. Pat.No. 3,598,696 issued to Beck and U.S. Pat. No. 3,471,367, issued toChupka.

In one embodiment, an initial pulp suspension is fractionated into twoor more fractions differing in fiber properties, such as mean fiberlength, percentage of fines, percentage of vessel elements, and thelike. Fractionation can be achieved by any means known in the art,including screens, filters, centrifuges, hydrocyclones, application ofultrasonic fields, electrophoresis, passage of a suspension throughspiral tubing or rotating disks, and the like. In a related embodiment,the papermaking web itself comprises multiple layers having differentfibers or chemical additives. Tissue in layered form can be producedwith a stratified headbox or by combining two or more moist webs fromseparate headboxes.

The layered sheet may have two, three, four, or more layers. Atwo-layered sheet may have splits based on layer basis weights such thatthe lighter layer has a mass of about 5% or more of the basis weight ofthe overall web, or about 10% or more, 20% or more, 30% or more, 40% ormore, or about 50%. Exemplary weight percent splits for a three-layerweb include 20%/20%/60%; 20%/60%/20%; 37.5%/25%/37.5%.; 10%/50%/40%;40%/20%/40%; and approximately equal splits for each layer. In oneembodiment, the ratio of the basis weight of an outer layer to an innerlayer can be from about 0.1 to about 5; more specifically from about 0.2to 3, and more specifically still from about 0.5 to about 1.5.

Definitions and Test Methods

As used herein, a material is said to be deformable” if the thickness ofthe material between parallel platens at a compressive load of 100 kPais at least 5% greater than the thickness of the material betweenparallel platens at a compressive load of 1000 kPa. In some embodiment,the raised elements of the deflection member are deformable, or thedeflection member itself is deformable. However, any one or all of thedeflection member, the raised elements or the base fabric can benon-deformable.

“Papermaking fibers,” as used herein, include all known cellulosicfibers or fiber mixes comprising cellulosic fibers. Fibers suitable formaking the webs of this invention comprise any natural or syntheticcellulosic fibers including, but not limited to nonwoody fibers, such ascotton, abaca, kenaf, sabai grass, flax, esparto grass, straw, jutehemp, bagasse, milkweed floss fibers, and pineapple leaf fibers; andwoody fibers such as those obtained from deciduous and coniferous trees,including softwood fibers, such as northern and southern softwood kraftfibers; hardwood fibers, such as eucalyptus, maple, birch, and aspen.Woody fibers can be prepared in high-yield or low-yield forms and can bepulped in any known method, including kraft, sulfite, high-yield pulpingmethods and other known pulping methods. Fibers prepared from organosolvpulping methods can also be used, including the fibers and methodsdisclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,793,898, issued Dec. 27, 1988 to Laamanenet al.; U.S. Pat. No. 4,594,130, issued Jun. 10, 1986 to Chang et al.;and U.S. Pat. No. 3,585,104. Useful fibers can also be produced byanthraquinone pulping, exemplified by U.S. Pat. No. 5,595,628, issuedJan. 21, 1997 to Gordon et al. A portion of the fibers, such as up to50% or less by dry weight, or from about 5% to about 30% by dry weight,can be synthetic fibers such as rayon, polyolefin fibers, polyesterfibers, bicomponent sheath-core fibers, and the like. An exemplarypolyethylene fiber is Pulpex®, available from Hercules, Inc.(Wilmington, Del.).

Synthetic cellulose fiber types include rayon in all its varieties andother fibers derived from viscose or chemically modified cellulose.Chemically treated natural cellulosic fibers can be used such asmercerized pulps, chemically stiffened or crosslinked fibers, orsulfonated fibers. For good mechanical properties in using papermakingfibers, it can be desirable that the fibers be relatively undamaged andlargely unrefined or only lightly refined. While recycled fibers can beused, virgin fibers are generally useful for their mechanical propertiesand lack of contaminants. Mercerized fibers, regenerated cellulosicfibers, cellulose produced by microbes, rayon, and other cellulosicmaterial or cellulosic derivatives can be used. Suitable papermakingfibers can also include recycled fibers, virgin fibers, or mixesthereof. In certain embodiments capable of high bulk and goodcompressive properties, the fibers can have a Canadian Standard Freenessof at least 200, more specifically at least 300, more specifically stillat least 400, and most specifically at least 500.

As used herein, the term “cellulosic” is meant to include any materialhaving cellulose as a major constituent, and specifically comprising atleast 50 percent by weight cellulose or a cellulose derivative. Thus,the term includes cotton, typical wood pulps, nonwoody cellulosicfibers, cellulose acetate, cellulose triacetate, rayon, thermomechanicalwood pulp, chemical wood pulp, debonded chemical wood pulp, milkweed, orbacterial cellulose.

As used herein, the “wet:dry ratio” is the ratio of the geometric meanwet tensile strength divided by the geometric mean dry tensile strength.Geometric mean tensile strength (GMT) is the square root of the productof the machine direction tensile strength and the cross-machinedirection tensile strength of the web. Unless otherwise indicated, theterm “tensile strength” means “geometric mean tensile strength.” Theabsorbent webs used in the present invention can have a wet:dry ratio ofabout 0.1 or greater and more specifically about 0.2 or greater. Tensilestrength can be measured using an Instron tensile tester using a 3-inchjaw width (sample width), a jaw span of 2 inches (gauge length), and acrosshead speed of 25.4 centimeters per minute after maintaining thesample under TAPPI conditions for 4 hours before testing. The absorbentwebs of the present invention can have a minimum absolute ratio of drytensile strength to basis weight of about 0.01 gram/gsm, specificallyabout 0.05 grams/gsm, more specifically about 0.2 grams/gsm, morespecifically still about 1 gram/gsm and most specifically from about 2grams/gsm to about 50 grams/gsm.

As used herein, “bulk” and “density,” unless otherwise specified, arebased on an oven-dry mass of a sample and a thickness measurement madeat a load of 0.34 kPa (0.05 psi) with a 7.62-cm (three-inch) diametercircular platen. Details for thickness measurements and other forms ofbulk are described hereafter.

As used herein, the term “hydrophobic” refers to a material having acontact angle of water in air of at least 90 degrees. In contrast, asused herein, the term “hydrophilic” refers to a material having acontact angle of water in air of less than 90 degrees.

As used herein, the term “surfactant” includes a single surfactant or amixture of two or more surfactants. If a mixture of two or moresurfactants is employed, the surfactants may be selected from the sameor different classes, provided only that the surfactants present in themixture are compatible with each other. In general, the surfactant canbe any surfactant known to those having ordinary skill in the art,including anionic, cationic, nonionic and amphoteric surfactants.Examples of anionic surfactants include, among others, linear andbranched-chain sodium alkylbenzenesulfonates; linear and branched-chainalkyl sulfates; linear and branched-chain alkyl ethoxy sulfates; andsilicone phosphate esters, silicone sulfates, and silicone carboxylatessuch as those manufactured by Lambent Technologies, located in Norcross,Georgia. Cationic surfactants include, by way of illustration, tallowtrimethylammonium chloride and, more generally, silicone amides,silicone amido quaternary amines, and silicone imidazoline quaternaryamines. Examples of nonionic surfactants, include, again by way ofillustration only, alkyl polyethoxylates; polyethoxylated alkylphenols;fatty acid ethanol amides; dimethicone copolyol esters, dimethiconolesters, and dimethicone copolyols such as those manufactured by LambentTechnologies ; and complex polymers of ethylene oxide, propylene oxide,and alcohols. One exemplary class of amphoteric surfactants are thesilicone amphoterics manufactured by Lambent Technologies (Norcross,Ga.).

Thickness and Bulk Measurement

Thickness and other geometrical features of the web at a microscopiclevel can be determined using computer-assisted image analysis ofmicrotomed plastic sections of the webs, imaged by polarized lightoptical microscopy. Thin optical sections provide a 2-dimensional fieldsuitable for analysis. For example, microtomed sections can be preparedby infiltrating the dry webs in silicone molds with low-viscosity epoxyresin available from Ladd Research Industries, Ltd., Burlington,Vermont. The resin is polymerized for 36 hours at 65° C. Ten micrometerthick sections are cut from each block using a steel knife microtome,coverslipped on a glass slide then examined using polarized lightoptical microscopy. Randomly selected image fields of each materialsection are digitized from the microscope using a Dage MTI VE 1000 CCDmonochrome camera, and analyzed using a Sun Sparc20 workstation runningPGT IMIX Feature Analysis software, available from Princeton Gamma Tech.Inc., 1200 State Rd., Princeton N.J. Image magnification can be 10×,with image calibration is performed using a certified stage micrometer(Graticules Ltd., Part #S8 McCrone Associates), divided into 10micrometer increments. The polarized light images are binarized andprocessed to fill holes or inclusion voids in the fibers.

The microtomed cross-sections of the web can then be analyzed using theprinciples described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,904,811, issued May. 18, 1999 toAmpulski et al., previously incorporated by reference, to obtainspecific parameters such as P, K, and T as shown in FIG. 3A.

“Macro-caliper” as used herein means the macroscopic thickness of thesample at an applied pressure of about 15 g/square cm (0.21 psi). Thesample is placed on a horizontal flat surface and confined between theflat surface and a load foot having a horizontal loading surface, wherethe load foot loading surface has a circular surface area of about 3.14square inches and applies a confining pressure of about 15 g/square cm(0.21 psi) to the sample. The macro-caliper is the resulting gap betweenthe flat surface and the load foot loading surface. The macro-caliper isan average of at least five measurements. Thickness measurements ofsamples are made in a TAPPI-conditioned room (50% relative humidity and23° C.) after conditioning for four hours. Samples should be essentiallyflat and uniform under the area of the contacting platen.

For macroscopic thickness measurement to give an overall thickness ofthe sheet for use in calculating the “bulk” of the web, as used herein,the thickness measurement is conducted on a stack of five sheets at aload of 0.05 psi using a three-inch diameter circular platen to applythe load. Samples are measured after conditioned for four hours in aTAPPI-conditioned room. The sheets rest beneath the flat platen andabove a flat surface parallel to the platen. The platen is connected toa thickness gauge such as a Mitutoyo digital gauge which senses thedisplacement of the platen caused by the presence of the sheets. Samplesshould be essentially flat and uniform under the contacting platen. Bulkis calculated by dividing the thickness of five sheets by the basisweight of the five sheets (conditioned mass of the stack of five sheetsdivided by the area occupied by the stack, which is the area of a singlesheet). Bulk is expressed as volume per unit mass in cc/g and density isthe inverse, g/cc.

One alternative measure of bulk is the “Ampulski Bulk,” which, as usedherein, uses the “macro-caliper” measurement described above to obtainthe bulk at a load of 15 g/cm² (0.21 psi) with a platen having acircular surface area of about 3.14 square inches.

As used herein, “Wet Bulk” is based on a caliper measurement of a stackof five sheets of a sample according to the definition of bulk above (at0.05 psi), except that the conditioned sample is then uniformly mistedwith deionized water until the moistened mass of the sample is 250% ofthe dry mass of the sample (i.e., the added mass of the moisture is 150%of the dry sample weight) and then measured for thickness. If the samplecannot absorb and retain enough moisture from misting to increase themass by 150%, then the highest level of achievable moisture add-on below150% but still above 100% moisture add on should be used. The Wet Bulkis calculated as the thickness of the substantially planar moistenedsample under a load of 0.344 kPa (0.05 psi) divided by the conditionedsample basis weight, yielding a value with units of g/cc. Absorbentfibrous structures of the present invention can have a Wet Bulk of about4 cc/g or greater, more specifically about 6 cc/g or greater, morespecifically still about 8 cc/g or greater, more specifically stillabout 10 cc/g or greater, and most specifically about 15 cc/g orgreater, with an exemplary range of from about 6 cc/g to about 25 cc/g.

As used herein, “local thickness” refers to the distance between the twoopposing surfaces of a web along a line substantially normal to bothsurfaces. The measurement is a reflection of the actual thickness of theweb at a particular location, as opposed to the micro-caliper.

Web Stiffness

Web stiffness as used herein is defined as the slope of the tangent ofthe graph of force (in grams/centimeter of sample width) versus strain(cm elongation per cm of gage length). Web flexibility increases, andweb stiffness decreases, as the slope of the tangent decreases. Forcreped samples the tangent slope is obtained at 15 g/cm force, and fornon-creped samples the tangent slope is obtained at 40 g/cm force. Suchdata may be obtained using a Syntech Universal Testing Machine, with across head speed of 1 inch per minute and a sample width of about 4inches for creped samples, and 0.1 inch per minute and a sample width ofabout 1 inch for non-creped handsheets. The Total Stiffness index (TS)as used herein means the geometric mean of the machine-direction tangentslope and the cross-machine-direction tangent slope. Mathematically,this is the square root of the product of the machine-direction tangentslope and cross-machine-direction tangent slope in grams per centimeter.For handsheets, only the machine direction tangent slope is measured,and the value of TS is taken to be the machine direction tangent slope.The value of TS is reported as an average of at least five measurements.TS can be normalized by Total Tensile to provide a normalized stiffnessindex TS/TT.

EXAMPLES Example 1

Laserworks, a division of Stencil Aire, Inc., (Green Lake, Wis.), wascommissioned to laser drill 1-millimeter thick sheets of flexibleplastic (PETG) with a geometry according to the specifications of U.S.Pat. No. 4,528,239, issued Jul. 9, 1985to Trokhan, based on FIG. 10thereof, reproduced as FIG. 9 of the present application. The writtendescription from the Trokhan patent reads in pertinent part:

Openings are in the form of nonregular six-sided figures. Referenceletter “a” represents the angle between the two sides of an opening asillustrated, “f” the point-to-point height of an opening, “c” the CDspacing between adjacent openings, “d” the diameter of the largestcircle which can be inscribed in an opening, “e” the width between flatsof an opening, “g” the spacing between two adjacent openings in adirection intermediate MD and CD, and “b” the shortest distance (ineither MD or CD) between the centerlines of two MD or CD adjacentopenings. In this version, “a” is 135°, “c” is 0.56 millimeter (0.022inch), “e” is 1.27 mm (0.050 in.), “f” is 1.62 mm (0.064 in.), “g” is0.20 mm (0.008 in.) and the ratio of “d” to “b” is 0.63. A deflectionmember constructed to this geometry has an open area of about 69%.

This description was submitted to Laserworks and was used to program acomputer-controlled laser engraving device which drilled holes into four30.5-cm square sections of the PETG plastic to simulate the fabricproduced by Trokhan. An undrilled rim remained around the edges of eachplastic square having a width of 1.3 cm. The edges of the plasticsquares were trimmed from 1.3 cm to 2 mm and then beveled at a 45 degreeangle. A coarse polyester thread was used to sew a laser-drilled sheetonto an Asten 920 through drying fabric (AstenJohnson Corp., Appleton,Wis.), with the thread passing through laser-drilled holes near the rimof the plastic sheet and passing into the weave of the Asten 920 fabric.The laser-drilled sheet was sewn onto the “chute side” (the backsidehaving dominant cross-direction chutes) of the TAD fabric. The TADfabric was placed in a pilot paper machine with a through dryer, withthe fabric inverted such that the chute side would be the papercontacting side. (The front side, with dominant warps, is normally thepaper-contacting side of the fabric for commercial operation.)

The pilot paper machine was operated in a configuration for productionof uncreped through-air dried tissue. The machine had a width of 22inches and comprised a flow spreader which deposited an aqueous slurryat about 0.2% consistency onto a forming wire traveling at about 50 feetper minute, at a flow rate sufficient to product tissue having a basisweight of 40 grams per square meter, produced from 100% bleached kraftnorthern softwood (LL-19 from Kimberly-Clark Corp.) with 16 pounds perton of Parez NC 631 added, a strength additive produced by Hercules,Inc. (Wilmington, Del.). The forming section had a vacuum box and foilsfor dewatering the web to a consistency of about 12%, followed by atransfer section in which the embryonic web was transferred from theforming fabric onto a second fine carrier fabric, wherein a vacuum shoeassisted the transfer. The web was transferred from the carrier fabriconto the sanded Asten 920 TAD fabric backed by a curved vacuum shoe toassist in transfer, wherein the TAD fabric was moving at a velocity 10%slower than the velocity of the carrier fabric to impart foreshorteningto the web (“rush transfer”). After the rush transfer operation, the webpassed through a Valmet through dryer operating at a hood temperature ofabout 300° F. to further dry the web to a consistency of about 95%. Theweb was removed from the TAD fabric after through drying and wound ontoa reel without creping to produce an uncreped web.

With only one section of the laser-drilled plastic sewn onto the TADfabric, only one short section of tissue was molded by the laser-drilledplastic for each complete revolution of the TAD fabric. While thelaser-drilled fabric did permit molding of the tissue web, the bulk ofthe molded section was generally less than bulk of the tissuethrough-dried against the sanded Asten 920 fabric. Without wishing to bebound by theory, it is believed that the lower bulk imparted by theTrokhan fabric was at least partly because the flow resistance of thetwo layers of fabric, the Asten 920 fabric and the added laser-drilledfabric, hindered the effect of the air pressure differential during rushtransfer and through drying such that that molding was not as thoroughas it could have been were the base fabric (the Asten 920) not present.Nevertheless, the trial did demonstrate that a laser-drilled fabricsimulating a deflection member could be used as a molding substrate inan uncreped through dried operation. In principle, little difficultyshould be encountered in further modifying the uncreped through-dryingsystem to serve as a creped through-drying system, in which thelaser-drilled substrate would also serve as an imprinting surface forpressing the tissue against a Yankee dryer prior to creping or againstanother drying surface such as a heated roll or drum.

Example 2

23-gsm handsheets of LL-19 bleached kraft northern softwood pulp wereprepared having a consistency of about 30%. The handsheets were placedover the laser-drilled plastic of Example 1 and subjected to a vacuumpressure of about 10 in Hg for 5 seconds to 30 seconds to cause molding.The sheets were removed, dried, and conditioned for 4 hours under Tappistandard conditions. Bulk was measured at a load of 220 grams per squareinch under a platen having a diameter of 4{fraction (1/16)} inches. Bulkvalues ranged from about 5 to about 7 grams per cubic centimeter. Thetexture of the fabric was visible on the molded handsheets,demonstrating that the laser-drilled substrate could be used for webmolding.

It will be appreciated that the foregoing examples, given for purposesof illustration, are not to be construed as limiting the scope of thisinvention. Although only a few exemplary embodiments of this inventionhave been described in detail above, those skilled in the art willreadily appreciate that many modifications are possible in the exemplaryembodiments without materially departing from the novel teachings andadvantages of this invention. Accordingly, all such modifications areintended to be included within the scope of this invention, which isdefined in the following claims and all equivalents thereto. Further, itis recognized that many embodiments may be conceived that do not achieveall of the advantages of some embodiments, yet the absence of aparticular advantage shall not be construed to necessarily mean thatsuch an embodiment is outside the scope of the present invention.

We claim:
 1. A deflection member for imparting texture to a fibrous webcomprising a base fabric and interconnected raised elements joined tothe base fabric with deflection conduits between the raised elements,the raised elements having an asymmetrical cross-sectional profile in atleast one of a machine direction and a cross direction and at least onenonlinear side relative to the vertical axis.
 2. The deflection memberof claim 1, wherein the base fabric is woven.
 3. The deflection memberof claim 1, wherein the base fabric is woven.
 4. The deflection memberof claim 1, wherein the raised elements comprise a radiation-curedresin.
 5. The deflection member of claim 4, wherein the raised elementscomprise a photocured resin.
 6. The deflection member of claim 5,wherein the raised elements comprise a photocured resin cured byapplication of laser light.
 7. The deflection member of claim 5, whereinthe raised elements comprise a photocured resin cured by application ofactinic radiation.
 8. The deflection member of claim 5, wherein theraised elements do not comprise a photocured resin cured by applicationof actinic radiation.
 9. The deflection member of claim 5, wherein theraised elements comprise a photocured resin cured by application ofvisible light.
 10. The deflection member of claim 5, wherein the raisedelements comprise a photocured resin cured by application of visiblelight having a wavelength at peak intensity of about 400 nm or greater.11. The deflection member of claim 5, wherein the raised elementscomprise a photocured resin cured by application of visible light havinga wavelength at peak intensity of about 500 nm or greater.
 12. Thedeflection member of claim 5, wherein the raised elements comprise aphotocured resin cured by application of radiation applied from at leasttwo different angles, such that the raised elements do not havestraight, parallel sides when viewed in a cross-section taken in themachine direction.
 13. The deflection member of claim 5, wherein theraised elements comprise a photocured resin cured by application ofradiation applied in at least two steps through at least two differentmasks.
 14. The deflection member of claim 5, wherein the raised elementscomprise a photocured resin comprising a three-component photoinitiatorsystem.
 15. The deflection member of claim 5, wherein the raisedelements comprise a polyimide resin.
 16. The deflection member of claim5, wherein the raised elements comprise an elastomer.
 17. The deflectionmember of claim 5, wherein the raised elements comprise two or moredissimilar materials.
 18. The deflection member of claim 17, wherein theraised elements comprise a composite having two or more material zonescomprising dissimilar materials.
 19. The deflection member of claim 1,wherein the raised elements do not comprise a photocured resin.
 20. Thedeflection member of claim 1, wherein the raised elements comprise atleast one of a thermoplastic, an epoxy, a polyurethane, a foam, sinteredparticles, or a polymer crosslinked without the need for actinicradiation.
 21. The deflection member of claim 1, wherein the base fabricis formed from at least one integral layer of a material, whereinapertures in the base fabric are formed by at least one of laserdrilling, machine tooling, thermal molding, chemical etching,application of radiofrequency energy, and application of ultrasonicenergy.
 22. The deflection member of claim 1, wherein the raisedelements have an asymmetrical cross-sectional profile in both themachine direction and the cross direction.
 23. The deflection member ofclaim 1, wherein the deflection member is impermeable to water.
 24. Thedeflection member of claim 1, wherein the deflection member is permeableto water.
 25. The deflection member of claim 1, further comprising arepeating pattern of spaced apart, discrete raised elements.
 26. Thedeflection member of claim 1, further comprising a repeating patternincluding a continuous network pattern of raised elements.
 27. Thedeflection member of claim 1, wherein the raised elements have a topportion and a base portion, wherein the top portion is wider than thebase portion.
 28. The deflection member of claim 1, wherein the raisedelements comprise a top portion and a base portion, wherein the topportion is narrower than the base portion.
 29. The deflection member ofclaim 1, wherein the raised elements have a flat upper surface.
 30. Thedeflection member of claim 1, wherein the raised elements have a curvedsurface.
 31. The deflection member of claim 1, wherein the raisedelements have a sloped upper surface.
 32. The deflection member of claim1, wherein the raised elements have an upper surface having anindentation.
 33. The deflection member of claim 1, wherein thedeflection member further comprises synclines.
 34. The deflection memberof claim 1, wherein the deflection member further comprisesanti-synclines.
 35. A deflection member for imparting texture to afibrous web comprising a woven base fabric and interconnected raisedelements joined to base fabric, the raised elements defining deflectionconduits and having a top portion and a base portion, the top portionbeing wider than the base portion.
 36. A deflection member for impartingtexture to a fibrous web comprising interconnected raised elements anddeflection conduits, the raised elements having an asymmetricalcross-sectional profile and each of the raised elements comprising acomposite having two or more dissimilar materials in discrete zones. 37.A deflection member for imparting texture to a fibrous web comprisinginterconnected raised elements and deflection conduits, the raisedelements having a cross-sectional profile with a top portion and a baseportion, the top portion being wider than the base portion.
 38. Thedeflection member of claim 37, wherein the raised elements have a flatupper surface.
 39. The deflection member of claim 37, wherein the raisedelements have a curved upper surface.
 40. The deflection member of claim37, wherein the raised elements have a sloped upper surface.
 41. Thedeflection member of claim 37, further comprising a base fabricconnected to the raised elements.
 42. The deflection member of claim 37,wherein the raised elements comprise a photocured resin.
 43. Thedeflection member of claim 42, wherein the photocured resin was cured byapplication of visible light.
 44. The deflection member of claim 42,wherein the photocured resin comprises a polyimide.
 45. The deflectionmember of claim 37, wherein the raised elements do not comprise aphotocured resin.
 46. The deflection member of claim 37, wherein atleast a portion of the deflection conduits were formed by a positivephotoresist method.
 47. The deflection member of claim 37, wherein thedeflection member is impermeable to water.
 48. The deflection member ofclaim 37, wherein the deflection member is permeable to water.
 49. Thedeflection member of claim 37, further comprising a repeating pattern ofspaced apart, discrete raised elements.
 50. The deflection member ofclaim 37, further comprising a repeating pattern including a continuousnetwork pattern of raised elements.
 51. A deflection member forimparting a texture to a paper web comprising raised elements anddeflection conduits, having at least one subset of the raised elementsarranged in a repeating pattern, the raised elements of the subsetcomprising a heterogeneous composite of two or more materials differingin at least one material property selected from elastic modulus, storagemodulus, and Poisson ratio, wherein each of the two or more elements isin a discrete zone of each of the raised elements.
 52. The deflectionmember of claim 50, further comprising a base fabric connected to theraised elements.
 53. The deflection member of claim 51, wherein at leastone subset of the raised elements has a cross-sectional profilecharacterized by an asymmetrical shape.
 54. The fabric of claim 51,wherein the two or more materials are asymmetrically distributedelements relative to at least one of a machine direction and crossdirection profile.
 55. A foraminous deflection member comprising aforaminous element and a framework, said framework comprising amicroscopically monoplanar, patterned, continuous network surfacedefining within said member a plurality of discrete, isolated,deflection conduits, the framework comprising raised elements includinga composite of two or more materials having material propertiesdiffering in at least one of elastic modulus, storage modulus, andPoisson ratio, wherein each of the two or more materials is in adiscrete zone of each of the raised elements.
 56. A foraminousdeflection member comprising a foraminous element and a framework, saidframework comprising a microscopically monoplanar, patterned, continuousnetwork surface defining within said member a plurality of discrete,isolated, deflection conduits, wherein a cross-section of the frameworkin at least one of the machine direction and the cross direction of thedeflection member exhibits raised elements having asymmetrical shapeswith at least one nonlinear side relative to the vertical axis.
 57. Adeflection member comprising a base fabric, raised elements connected tothe base fabric, and deflection conduits between the raised elements,the raised elements including two or more subsets of raised elementsarranged in respective repeating patterns, the two or more subsets ofraised elements differing in at least one of height and materialcomposition, and the deflection conduits having a cross-sectional shapewith an upper portion having a first mean width between one subset ofraised elements and a lower portion having a second mean width betweenanother subset of raised elements, with a step change in width occurringbetween the two portions.
 58. The deflection member of claim 37, whereinsaid deflection member is at least about 0.35 millimeter thick.
 59. Thedeflection member of claim 37, wherein the perimeter of a majority ofthe deflection conduits defines a polygon having fewer than seven sidesand wherein the deflection conduits are distributed in a repeatingarray.
 60. The deflection member of claim 1, wherein the deflectionconduits are distributed in a repeating array.
 61. The deflection memberof claim 37, or 69 wherein the perimeter of a majority of the deflectionconduits defines a closed figure having nonlinear sides and wherein thedeflection conduits are distributed in a repeating array.
 62. A methodof making a foraminous papermaking fabric comprising: a) providing abase fabric; b) applying a visible-light photocurable resin to the basefabric c) applying non-actinic visible-light in a predetermined patternto cure a portion of the resin; d) changing the angle of application ofthe visible light relative to the base fabric; and e) removing theuncured portion of the resin to reveal deflection conduits havingasymmetrical profiles in the machine direction of the deflection member.63. The method of claim 62, wherein the visible-light photocurable resincomprises a dye, a photoinitiator, and a monomer.
 64. The method ofclaim 62, wherein the visible-light photocurable resin comprises a lightabsorbing compound,an electron donor, and an iodonium salt.
 65. Themethod of claim 62, wherein removing, the uncured portion of the resincomprises washing the fabric with a liquid.
 66. The method of claim 62,wherein the foraminous fabric comprises deflection conduitscorresponding to the uncured portion of the resin.
 67. The method ofclaim 62, wherein applying non-actinic visible-light comprises scanningthe resin with a visible-light laser beam.
 68. The method of claim 62,wherein the non-actinic visible-light has a spectrum with at least 90%of the applied energy corresponding to wavelengths above 400 nanometers.69. The method of claim 57, wherein the non-actinic visible-light has aspectrum with substantially all of the applied energy corresponding towavelengths above 400 nanometers.
 70. The papermaking fabric madeaccording to claim
 62. 71. A method of making a foraminous deflectionmember comprising: a) providing a foraminous base fabric having an uppersurface and a lower surface; b) applying a radiation-curable resin tothe base fabric to form a layer of resin above the upper surface of thebase fabric; c) applying radiation in a first pattern to cure a firstportion of the resin; d) applying radiation in a second pattern to curea second portion of the resin; and e) removing the uncured portion ofthe resin to reveal deflection conduits having an asymmetrical profilein the machine direction of the deflection member.
 72. The method ofclaim 71, wherein the radiation applied in the first pattern is appliedfrom below the base fabric, and the radiation applied in the secondpattern is applied from above the base fabric.
 73. The method of claim71, wherein the radiation applied in the first pattern is has adifferent wavelength than the radiation applied in the second pattern.74. A method of making a foraminous deflection member comprising: a)providing a foraminous base fabric having an upper surface and a lowersurface; b) applying a radiation-curable resin to the base fabric toform a layer of resin having an upper surface above the upper surface ofthe base fabric; c) applying radiation at a first angle relative to thebase fabric to cure a first portion of the resin; d) applying radiationat a second angle relative to the base fabric to cure a second portionof the resin; and e) removing the uncured portion of the resin to revealdeflection conduits having an asymmetrical profile in the machinedirection of the deflection member.